Alice's Wonderland
by idjit with a blue box
Summary: Following the death of their father, a set of American twins are relocated to Britain where they learn that their knack for attracting strange things may be due to something more... magical. OC goes to Hogwarts a year ahead of Harry Potter.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything related to it. No profit is made by this story. I am grateful to J.K. Rowling and the world she created.

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><p>On the corner of Madrik Lane sat a nice little cottage where the Wallace family lived. The Wallace's were not the kind to leave others to themselves. They also weren't the people to associate themselves with strange or mysterious things, including people. The Wallace's viewed their lives as their world in which they needed to know what was going on. Their motto; everyone's business is our business.<p>

Following that motto to the letter was Mrs. Wallace's career in life. For this her long neck, eagle eyes, and dirty blonde hair— which wasn't very obvious if she had to hide quickly behind a bush—came in handy. Mrs. Wallace was quick to relate back anything she heard or observed but she never did so with cruel intentions. Busy-body was an understatement when describing Mrs. Wallace.

Mr. Wallace was a very practical man, which meant that he didn't understand anything out of the normal and was therefore a little fearful of it. Mr. Wallace worked at one of the largest supply companies in Britain and was always prepared to discuss what had happened at work that day. While Mrs. Wallace kept up with the neighbors' lives, Mr. Wallace kept up with his co-workers'. His large nose was very handy for sniffing out secrets and his beefy neck provided a great base for his loud barks and grunts. Mr. Wallace's graying hair was the same color as the machines in the office, like the copying machine, and several times had provided a great hiding place for Mr. Wallace while eavesdropping on his co-workers.

While Mrs. Wallace was tall, thin and blonde and Mr. Wallace was beefy, large and graying, their son Preston resembled a mix of the two. He was thicker than normal, with a large nose and blonde hair. Preston was a violent boy whose favorite past time was bullying and tormenting younger or smaller neighbor kids and schoolmates. Preston gave up on most activities after he got injured; therefore, his bicycle was rusting in the garage, his pogo stick had been sold to a family up the street, and his baseball was the neighbor dog's toy. Preston mainly played video games and watched TV (neither had injured him yet).

That was what Preston was doing, watching TV, when the doorbell rang. Mr. Wallace lumbered to the door and opened it. Mrs. Wallace tried to see who it was through the door frame leading into the foyer but Mr. Wallace's bulk was effectively blocking the visitor. His voice, however, carried through to them so they could hear what he was saying to the visitor.

"What?" Mr. Wallace asked shocked. There was a pause in which the visitor answered. "We never signed up for anything like that!" Mr. Wallace said indignantly. There was another pause, longer than the first then an explosive snort from Mr. Wallace that made both Margo and Preston jump. A few minutes later Mr. Wallace came into the living room followed by a woman in a pant suit.

Mrs. Wallace got out of her seat to greet the woman. Burton, face red, introduced them "Margo, this is," But the woman stepped forward, held out her hand and introduced herself.

"Charisse Charity, I'm with IMSE. We would like to inform you that you have been chosen to host an exchange student from the United States." Charisse Charity said brightly as she shook Mrs. Wallace's hand firmly. Margo's hand was limp in Charisse Charity's handshake and when she released her hand, Margo's hand fell limply to her side but she didn't notice. Her mouth was slightly open in shock. She looked to Burton whose face was steadily getting blotchy and his jaw was clenched to where it would be a surprise if he could ever move it again.

"I… I don't understand." Margo said faintly. She kept looking to Burton for answers but he looked like he would explode any moment now. Charisse Charity, however, explained what she could.

"At IMSE we have a raffle. Only people who have been applied and investigated are entered. When an exchange student needs a host family we pick a family from the raffle. Your family has been chosen to play host to the Connen's. You were entered after a thorough background search two years ago. The Connen's are absolutely lovely! You'll really love them." Said Charisse Charity. The Wallace's looked at her in horror.

"We did not agree to this!" Burton shouted, his face slowly turning purple. Charisse Charity seemed exhausted and she sighed. "I don't even know what this MZC thing is!" Burton exclaimed indignantly.

"IMSE," Charisse Charity corrected but Burton ignored her.

"What the hell does that stand for?" Burton demanded. His face was definitely purple now and the vein in his forehead was pulsing. Charisse Charity wouldn't have been surprised to see steam coming out of his ears.

"IMSE, International Magical Student Exchange. We find young witches and wizards who would like to study magic abroad and we find homes for them to stay in during the end of summer and into the school year. Some return home in the summer, some stay with their host family. It really depends on their home life." Charisse Charity explained.

Burton stood flat-footed, his face slowly draining of all color and he mouthed wordlessly. He looked like a landed fish. Margo however stared at Charisse Charity in astonishment.

"D-did you say… magical? And… and witches… study magic? What?" Margo could barely force the words out. Burton grumbled deep in his chest. Charisse Charity sighed. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and pulled out a stick of wood.

"What are you doing?" Burton demanded. His face was filled with fear and rage. Charisse Charity didn't respond. She flicked her wand and a clipboard appeared out of thin air and fell lightly into her hand. Charisse Charity flipped through papers clipped to the clipboard until she found the one she wanted. Burton and Margo stared at her in horror.

"Ah, here it is." Charisse Charity mumbled. She brought her wand back up and pointed it at Burton and Margo. They both gasped but Charisse Charity either didn't hear or she ignored it. She began to read. "Burton and Margo Wallace, you are hereby chosen to host Alice and Jason Connen, a witch and wizard of the age of ten. Towards the end of the summer of their eleventh year, the twins will be invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You are to welcome them into your home during the summer when they are not at school. During the school year they will stay at Hogwarts. The twins will be able to return to their home in the United States during the summer if their relatives can take them," Charisse Charity looked up at the Wallace's at this point. "The twins are orphans." She explained. Burton and Margo looked at each other.

Charisse Charity looked back down at the clipboard and continued. "You are to follow all instructions given. Most will be explained. Your job is only to make certain the Connen's are well cared for when in your care and that they arrive at Hogwarts every school year safely for the next seven years." Charisse Charity flipped the papers ahead of the paper she read from back in front and the clipboard disappeared back into thin air.

When Charisse Charity looked up she saw Margo and Burton clutching each other in horror. One look from their faces told her that they were too shocked from what they heard to understand. Charisse Charity had had this problem before. She was always tasked with the ones expected to be difficult and she was relieved to find out that the Wallace's would be easier than expected. She sighed and brought out her wand. Before they could finish their shouts of horror she flicked her wand in their direction and their faces fell. The expression on their faces was blank, it looked as though they had forgotten everything.

"Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Wallace for agreeing! The twins will be dropped off on the twenty-fourth of this month. You will absolutely love them!" Charisse Charity said to them cheerily.

"What?" Burton asked in confusion. "What are you talking about?" He demanded.

"Well, don't you remember? You signed up to host an exchange student two years ago. You have been chosen. All instructions will be sent to you at the appropriate time but for now all you have to do is care for them like your own. A booklet will be delivered within the week explaining our procedures. Well, have a good day!" She said and accepting the Wallace's confused expressions as meaning they wouldn't ask any more questions, she left.

Mr. and Mrs. Wallace stood there for a moment longer clutching at each other. They looked at one another, the same dumbfounded expression on both their faces.

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><p>June the twenty-fourth came quickly. The Wallace's still weren't very clear on this whole exchange student thing—neither Mr. nor Mrs. Wallace could remember signing up for it— but they prepared for the arrival of the twins in the only way they could; they cleaned.<p>

Mrs. Wallace viciously scrubbed the floors and didn't stop until she could see her reflection in the tile and hardwood. Preston was set to work in the yard. He was mowing the lawn, pulling the few weeds that had popped up in the garden and sweeping the porch and sidewalk; grumbling all the while. Mr. Wallace was busy fixing anything that looked like it could break. Nothing in their house was broken, Mrs. Wallace made sure of that but Mr. Wallace was taking no chances. Before noon, the entire house, inside and out, was shining as though it had been polished, which the floors, tables and counters had been.

The Wallace's then went upstairs and got ready. Mrs. Wallace came back down in a nice pale blue dress with white flats. She curled her hair and pinned it back loosely. Mr. Wallace wore a nice blue suit and his best tie that was brown.

Preston was forced to dress up. He reluctantly came down an hour later wearing a suit and tie. His dress shoes were polished and shone brightly while his hair was plastered to his head with the part in the middle.

Preston sat down to watch TV and Mr. Wallace sat reading the newspaper, continually glancing at his watch every two seconds. Mrs. Wallace went into the kitchen to make tea and cookies. The twins were supposed to arrive at two and they had a little under an hour until that time. The whole house seemed to be shaking in anticipation. Mrs. Wallace came in the living room and sat by the window. She continually glanced out of it, hoping to see the car drive up. Even if she didn't see it, though, she would hear it pull in the driveway.

At two o'clock Mr. and Mrs. Wallace got anxious. Mr. Wallace continually got up, went to the door, opened it, and poked his head out looking up and down the street. He would then come back in, sit down and grumble about common courtesy.

"No respect! We could be late for something!" Burton grumbled.

"Late for what Burton?" Margo asked absentmindedly as she watched out the window.

"Well, nothing. But we could've had something!" He replied indignantly. He pulled the newspaper back up in front of his face and no sooner had he started reading it then the doorbell rang. Burton and Margo looked at each other. Neither had heard a car pull up.

Burton and Margo got up and went to the door. Margo hurried back in the living room and pulled Preston out into the foyer. Margo lovingly smoothed Preston's hair back down and Burton straightened his tie. Burton opened the door.

Charisse Charity's finger was an inch away from the doorbell when the door opened. She smiled and pulled her hand back. Behind her stood two short figures. Both had dark brown hair and green eyes. The girl looked bored and the boy, uncomfortable.

"Good day Mr. Wallace!" Charisse Charity said brightly. Burton stood back to let the three into the house.

They walked in. The girl started looking around the house with that same bored expression while her brother shifted uncomfortably on the spot. Charisse Charity stepped forward and shook Mr. and Mrs. Wallace's hands. "Nice to see you again!" She said cheerfully. She looked around the foyer. "Wow, this place just sparkles! I'd have thought you used magic if I didn't know any better!" Charisse stated intending it as a compliment.

The Wallace's didn't seem to take it as a compliment though. Mrs. Wallace quickly grabbed Mr. Wallace's arm who tensed and had to close his eyes tightly for a moment as her nails dug painfully into his arm. Charisse Charity didn't notice.

"Mr. and Mrs. Wallace, this is Jason," Charisse indicated the boy who quickly looked at his feet. "and Alice." she then turned to her other side and indicated the girl who stopped looking around the room to look up at Mr. and Mrs. Wallace. The corner of her mouth sort of twitched as if she wasn't sure whether to smile or not.

Charisse Charity bit her lip uncomfortably. This was an awkward moment and no one seemed like they were about to talk. She swung her arms forward and went up on her toes and then as her arms swung back she went back down on her heels. She swung her arms up once more and brought her hands together in a clap. "So, shall we go into the sitting room?" She said politely indicating the room to her left. The Wallace's shook themselves out of a reverie and led the way into the sitting room.

Charisse and the twins sat on a couch while Mr. Wallace and Preston sat on the couch facing Charisse and the twins. Mrs. Wallace bustled into the kitchen and came out with a plate of tea and cookies. She offered it to Charisse and the twins then set it down on the coffee table before sitting in a chair beside Mr. Wallace.

"So, you're ten years old?" Mrs. Wallace kindly asked the twins. Alice was the one that answered.

"Yeah, we turn eleven in February." She answered. Her voice sounded strange to the Wallace's. Unlike them, she was American so her accent was alien to them. Alice noticed their looks.

"Sorry, it's just your accent is so strange." Mrs. Wallace explained.

"What are you talking about? I don't have an accent." Alice said, confused. The Wallace's were taken aback. They were about to say something but Charisse Charity shook her head. They let the matter drop and Alice continued to look curiously around the room though she kept casting inquisitive glances at the Wallace's.

"So, Mr. and Mrs. Wallace," Charisse Charity began somewhat awkwardly. "You've read the pamphlet we delivered to your house if I'm not mistaken?"

Mr. and Mrs. Wallace glanced at each other. Both of them had read the pamphlet, furiously looking for something that would explain as to how, when, or why they signed up for this but their search was futile. It said nothing about how to submit to house an exchange student. They nodded.

"Wonderful! Well then you are aware of certain procedures. We will check once a month for the first year as to how the children are being treated. The twins know how to contact me if any of you need anything, have any questions. After the first year… well, we'll see how it goes and when we get there I'll explain more. Could I have a tour of the house? Procedure." She explained.

"Oh, of course!" Mrs. Wallace jumped out of her chair. This was something she was comfortable with. "Follow me," She said as she walked through the archway out of the living room and into the dining room. Charisse Charity got up from the couch and followed Mr. Wallace who had gone along behind Mrs. Wallace. The twins remained on the couch and as they started to awkwardly get up, not sure if they should follow, Charisse Charity popped her head through the doorway.

"Come along you two!" She said, gesturing them along. Preston remained in the living room and as the twins exited out of the living room, they could hear the TV turn on. Alice and Jason followed meekly behind the adults. Alice didn't really pay any attention to anything they said other than, "This is the kitchen… the bathroom's in through here… These two bedrooms will be the twins, the two of you can choose who gets which…" and the rest went in one ear and out the other. Jason, however, absorbed every word they said so that he could've repeated the entire tour back to someone word for word.

After the tour was done the adults started talking amongst themselves, completely forgetting the twins' presence. Alice nudged Jason and he followed as she quietly went back downstairs and into the living room.

Preston was sprawled on the couch, eating from a bag of chips as he watched TV. Alice tried not to look too disgusted. Jason was still glancing around nervously and followed Alice's lead as she sat on the opposite couch.

"So, what's your name again?" Alice asked, more out of wanting to know than actually caring.

"Preston, what's yours?" Preston replied gruffly. Alice smiled to herself. Preston barked like his father but Preston's bark seemed more like a Chihuahua trying to be a Doberman.

"I'm Alice and this is Jason." Alice replied, jerking a thumb at Jason sitting next to her. Preston nodded and returned his attention to the television.

Alice was very bored, she had all this pent-up energy and she didn't feel comfortable letting it out. She drummed her fingers on her knees and Jason watched her fingers. Alice kept drumming her fingers until she saw Jason staring at her active fingers and she quickly stopped. "Sorry," she said sullenly, crossing her arms across her stomach. Jason turned his head away and looked out of the window.

Alice looked around the sitting room, which was adjoined with the dining room. There were sliding glass doors leading out of the dining room into the back yard. Alice's gaze flicked past the glass doors but her eyes were violently brought back. Through the glass doors, Alice could've sworn she saw a man in a black cloak or robes or something like that. He had been sitting on the Wallace's fence. She searched the yard for the man in the cloak but he was nowhere to be found. Giving the glass doors a last, suspicious glare, Alice turned her attention to the television. The man must've been her imagination, which had a tendency to run wild.

"Alice," Jason whispered, nudging her with his elbow. Alice turned and looked out the window to where Jason was pointing. Across the street, in front of a neighbor's house, stood three people. They were arguing but that wasn't what was strange about them. All of the people were wearing cloaks. The woman was wearing a dark blue cloak, one of the men a purple, and the other a green cloak. The woman and the man in the green cloak were talking very animatedly. The woman kept pointing to the Wallace's house and saying something bad by the look on her face. The man in the green cloak responded just as angrily and shook his head. The man in the purple remained quiet most of the time. Alice slowly and quietly got up from the couch and motioned for Jason to follow her.

She crept to the window and knelt in front of it to the point where her eyes could look over but the rest of her body couldn't be seen. Jason knelt beside her and the two watched. The three cloaked people argued for a long time and seemed to be getting more furious as they argued. Suddenly the woman pulled out a smooth stick and pointed it at the man in the green threateningly. The man in the green retreated and the man in the purple jumped in between the man in the green and the woman's stick. He said something to her and pointed at the house, directly at the window that Alice and Jason were crouched in front of. The twins saw the woman turn her head to look at the house and the twins quickly ducked out of sight.

"Do you think she saw us?" Jason mouthed. Alice shrugged and slowly raised herself off the ground to look out the window. As soon as her eyes peered over the window ledge she saw the woman looking over at them. Alice's eyes widened and so did the woman's. Alice ducked back down as the woman pointed to the Wallace's window.

"What happened?" Jason whispered. Alice didn't respond so Jason cautiously peered over the window ledge. "Uh, Alice," he began slowly. Alice poked her head up just in time to see the three people turn on the spot and vanish with a loud CRACK! Alice turned to look at Jason, who turned to look at her. His face reflected her shock as he mouthed, "Whoa!"

Alice leapt to her feet, Jason doing the same, as she heard Mrs. Wallace's voice growing louder as the adults walked down the steps. Alice quickly sat on the couch and tried to slow her heartbeat while she acted as though they hadn't just witnessed anything unordinary. Mr. and Mrs. Wallace walked into the sitting room followed by Charisse Charity who was talking to Mrs. Wallace.

"Yes, I don't think you'll have any trouble with them," she finished. "Well," Charisse Charity said clapping her hands together. "I must be off! I have a meeting with another sponsor family. Good-bye Alice, Jason," she said business-like. Alice waved and Jason said "'Bye,". Mr. and Mrs. Wallace walked with Charisse Charity to the door where they began another discussion. Alice strained her ears to hear what they were saying but they kept their voices low. She glanced over at Jason who shook his head. He hadn't heard anything either. They heard the door close and Mr. and Mrs. Wallace reentered the sitting room. Mrs. Wallace smiled cheerfully, Mr. Wallace grunted and sat down in his armchair.

"So, Alice, Jason," Mrs. Wallace began kindly. Alice raised an eyebrow in skeptical curiosity. "What do you two like to do?" Mrs. Wallace asked. Alice looked to Jason.

"Well, I like to read, and I play instruments," Jason said awkwardly.

"Oh, really! What kind of instruments do you play?" She asked excitedly.

"Well, I can play piano and guitar," he said.

"How lovely! I play piano also, we have one in the dining room," She said pointing into the dining room where a mahogany piano was clearly visible. Jason returned Mrs. Wallace's smile. Mrs. Wallace turned to Alice. "And what about you dear?" She asked.

Alice shrugged. "I don't know, I like video games and sports," she said offhandedly. Mrs. Wallace's face fell.

"Oh, well, that's nice. Preston likes to play video games too," she said looking over at Preston. Preston grunted in reply. Alice didn't care to elaborate and Mrs. Wallace couldn't think of anything else to say on that subject. "So, Jason, how well do you play piano?" She asked Jason curiously.

"Well, I only know the basics. Our aunt can play piano really well and she's the one who taught me but we didn't get much farther than playing a couple of songs." Jason replied.

"Well, then why don't I teach you a little?" Mrs. Wallace asked. Jason looked to Alice who shrugged and he followed Mrs. Wallace into the dining room where she began to help Jason with playing the piano.

Alice sat on the couch and watched TV but she wasn't paying attention to it. This was the first time that she was really homesick. She didn't miss her old house, which was empty now, or her old room, which was smaller than the one she had now anyways. She missed her dad.

She missed helping him cook dinner, playing basketball with him out in the driveway, and playing video games with him. She missed Fun Food Friday where her dad would always plan some great dinner that they could make together. She still remembered when they made homemade pizza and the three of them had gotten into a flour fight which resulted in the kitchen looking like it had been hit by a snowstorm, and her, Jason, and their dad all looking like they had gone prematurely grey.

Alice shook herself out of her memories, which were bittersweet, when Mrs. Wallace came back into the sitting room an hour later. Jason was playing a song that Mrs. Wallace had just taught him in the background.

"Alice, would you like to help me make supper?" Mrs. Wallace asked. Alice nodded and followed her into the kitchen. "There are some potatoes in the pantry, if you could get them out for me," Mrs. Wallace said. Alice opened the door to the pantry and grabbed the bag of potatoes. She started to close the pantry door but a scream interrupted her. She swung around to find the source but everyone was acting as though nothing had happened. Mrs. Wallace was cutting up vegetables, Preston and Mr. Wallace were still watching TV and Jason was playing another song.

"Did you hear that?" Alice asked.

Mrs. Wallace stopped slicing the vegetables and looked up. "Hear what dear?" She asked kindly.

"Never mind," Alice replied. She knew they think she was weird if she told them she was hearing screams. Alice walked over to the counter and put the bag of potatoes on the counter.

"Have you peeled potatoes before?" Mrs. Wallace asked, never missing a slice. Alice nodded. "Good, there's a knife in the drawer right there," Mrs. Wallace said indicating the drawer on her right. Alice grabbed a knife out of the drawer and set to work on the potatoes.

At six-thirty, the Wallace's and the Connen twins sat down for dinner. Preston's mouth watered at the aroma of boiled potatoes, steamed vegetables and pork chops. Well, his mouth didn't so much water at the vegetables but everything else was amazing. Everyone piled their plates with food, but Alice only got a little of everything, and she still had a few leftovers which Preston happily finished off.

Preston was set the task of washing the dishes. Jason and Alice offered but Mrs. Wallace quickly shooed them out of the kitchen. "It's your first night here. You're our guests! You'll have plenty of other opportunities to wash the dishes. Now, go relax," she said as she hustled them into the sitting room. Jason and Alice sat on the couch and watched television and they were soon joined by the rest of the family.

"Okay, off to bed!" Mrs. Wallace said as she shuffled Preston, Jason and Alice up the stairs. Alice planned on a small scuffle with Jason over who got which room, but Jason was quick to let Alice have the bigger room. Alice, disheartened, told Jason to have it and went into the slightly smaller room. It was a nice room with a great window seat and a comfy looking bed. It even had a small walk-in closet, but Alice wasn't in the mood to fully show her excitement beyond a grin and a swooping feeling in her heart. She sat on the window seat and looked out on the little lights from the neighboring houses.

Alice sat in the window for about half an hour before getting up and going into Jason's room. She wasn't surprised to find him reading. She carefully closed the door so as not to wake anyone. "I knew you'd want to talk," Jason said closing his book. Alice jumped a little. She had been completely silent and Jason had been reading so she was surprised that he knew she was there.

Jason got out of the chair and put the book back on the shelf. Recovering from her shock, Alice sat down on Jason's bed just as he sat back down in his chair.

"So, what do you think about this place?" Alice asked hesitantly. Jason shrugged.

"I don't know. I don't dislike it," Jason replied. Alice hung her head. She had expected that.

"Do you like them? The Wallace's?" She asked.

"They're not horrible. Yeah, I guess I kind of like them," he replied.

"How can you say that?" Alice demanded. She shot to her feet and stood over him, glowering. "How can you like them? We should be with Aunt K!" Alice whispered harshly.

"Aunt K can't take care of us! She has a job that takes her around the world, and that's no place for children!" Jason whispered back, just as harshly.

"Oh, so instead they'll ship us halfway across the world to live with people who have no relation to us whatsoever!" Alice fumed. "They just dump us in some strange country with strange people and tell us 'This will be your family! Good luck! Oh, and I forgot to mention, they're British!'" Alice steadily got louder until she ended with a shout. She quickly covered her mouth, hoping no one heard.

"I know Alice, I'm upset too. But shouting won't help anything," Jason said calmly. He sounded like he was trying to be her father.

"Don't you dare try to be Dad!" Alice whispered darkly. Jason, instead of quelling like any other ten year old would, sighed and replied calmly.

"Alice, I'm not trying to be Dad. You just miss him so much that you're looking for him in anything." Jason said. Alice shook her head. This was why people rarely believed Jason was only ten years old. Alice was so used to his unusually profound, therapist-type answers that it was starting to frustrate her.

"Jason," she began, about to say something angry but she stopped herself. Instead, Alice's shoulders slumped and she looked down at the ground. "I don't belong here," she mumbled.

"I don't belong here either but we have to make the best of it," Jason replied. He didn't seem to understand where she was coming from. To any stranger it would sound like he was being comforting but he wasn't. In fact, to Alice, he was being extremely insensitive.

"Jason! Just go back to your books and your music! Mrs. Wallace obviously loves you so you can stay with her here and I'll go back and travel the world with Aunt K!" Alice shouted in frustration. She stood up, marched over to the door and swung it open so hard that it hit the wall. Not even bothering to be quiet, Alice stomped through the doorway and slammed the door behind her. She stomped into her room, fuming and plopped onto the window seat. How could Jason be so insensitive? They had just lost their father and were taken away from their only remaining family but Jason was acting as though this was just a slight inconvenience. As if he wanted to eat a bowl of Coco Pebbles but all they had was Trix. Alice wasn't going to forget her life so soon. She had to leave so much behind when they got shipped off to Britain. She had to leave her best friends since preschool, her school where she knew everyone, the house she had been born in, the neighbors she caused trouble with. All of it was gone. Now she had to live in London where she doesn't know anyone; go to a school that she has no clue what's going on in; and worst of all, not understand anyone because of their stupid accents!

Alice was so frustrated and upset that she just wanted to punch something but she knew that wouldn't help anything. Alice jumped off the window seat and paced about the room. Her angry pacing let off some stress but also drained her of her energy. She sat back down onto the window seat (she was too resentful to actually sleep in the bed). She grabbed a pillow and clutched it tightly to her chest. The last thing Alice saw before she drifted into sleep, was a display of fireworks in the distance which put her in mind of July 4th, which they didn't celebrate here.

* * *

><p>The day hadn't started out abnormal. By all means it seemed like a pretty normal, simple day; besides the fact that Alice and Jason were once again waking up in Britain's Dartford, Kent instead of the U.S. of A's Tallahassee, Florida.<p>

Her first sensation was the feel of cold glass against her forehead. Alice groggily opened her eyes. The sky outside was a light, pretty blue occasionally marred by little, white, fluffy clouds. She saw Jason, in the backyard, sitting on a bench, reading. Preston was throwing a softball back and forth with one of his friends, Arnie. Mrs. Wallace came out with a tray of lemonade for the boys.

Alice pulled away from the window, her forehead had stuck to it so it pulled away slowly and more painfully. She rubbed her forehead which was red and got up from the window seat. It had been a year since they first came here and Alice had slept in her bed less than half of that time. She didn't intend to most of the time; she just fell asleep reading, or thinking, or watching the skies.

Alice was now eleven and when the school year started she would be going to Kelmers, a private school for girls and Mrs. Wallace's old middle school. Jason and Preston would be going to Mr. Wallace's old private school for boys, Alice couldn't remember the name. She was very unhappy about this for several reasons; she wouldn't be going to school with her brother, she would be alone with a bunch of British girls, and there would be no boys! Alice didn't get along with girls, she mostly hung out with guys and those few awesome girls.

Alice got dressed and went downstairs. There was a plate set on the table for her, like always. She sat down and ate the chicken salad sandwich and by the time she was done, Mrs. Wallace came back into the kitchen.

"All done dear?" She asked kindly. Alice nodded and Mrs. Wallace took her plate and washed it, only because she was doing dishes anyway. Mrs. Wallace hummed while she washed the dishes and Alice went into the living room where Preston and Arnie were watching TV. Jason sat down at the piano and started playing a lovely tune. Alice sat down on the couch opposite Preston and Arnie, and distractedly watched TV.

There came a knock on the door. "Alice, dear, could you get that," Mrs. Wallace called from the kitchen. Alice hopped off the couch, glad for something to do, and walked out of the living room and into the hallway. Alice reached the door and opened it. There, on the porch, stood a man, shorter than Alice. He was a tiny little man in a dark blue suit with a shock of white hair.

"Good day!" He said in a squeaky sort of voice.

"Um, who are you?" Alice asked, thinking it would be mean to say 'what are you'.

"Oh, goodness me! I forgot to introduce myself! I am Filius Flitwick and I am a professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. May I come in?" He said.

Alice stood aside to let him in. He walked in the door and started commenting immediately. "Wonderful! Lovely little house!"

"Mrs. Wallace!" Alice called as she led Professor Flitwick into the kitchen.

"Yes Alice— oh!" Mrs. Wallace shouted in surprise. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" She apologized

"No, you are quite alright! I get that reaction a lot," Flitwick said. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Filius Flitwick a professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." he said, extending his hand. Mrs. Wallace shook it enthusiastically.

"Oh, yes! They told me you would be arriving sometime during the week!" Mrs. Wallace said excitedly. Alice looked in shock between tiny Professor Flitwick and Mrs. Wallace who were acting like old friends who ran into each other at the store.

"Now, now. I must get down to business! Miss Connen," Flitwick squeaked and beckoned her to sit as he sat down at the kitchen table. Alice suspiciously stepped over to the table and sat down across from Flitwick. Mrs. Wallace sat at the end of the table. "Where is your brother?" Flitwick asked Alice but Mrs. Wallace answered.

"Oh, he's on the piano. Jason!" She called. The music stopped and Jason came into the kitchen.

"Yes," Jason said.

"Sit down my dear boy!" Flitwick piped. Jason sat down next to Alice, giving her a questioning look but Alice could only shrug her shoulders. She had no idea what was going on!

"Now, Mr. and Ms. Connen. I have two letters for you, but first I must explain." Flitwick suddenly leaned over the table and became rather serious. "Have you two ever made any strange things happen? Maybe when you were mad, or extremely happy?" He asked.

Alice looked at Jason but his face did not reveal his thoughts. Alice felt invaded. How did this man know? In fact, just the other day Preston had been gloating because he scored a goal on Alice in soccer; one to her twenty-something goals. Alice was really annoyed and as soon as he started dancing, the soccer ball on the ground near him suddenly rolled right under his foot. He stepped down as he was dancing and slipped on the ball. He landed flat on his back in the middle of the yard. Alice had died laughing and Preston was too embarrassed to tell anyone about finally scoring a goal on Alice.

"There is a reason for these mysterious things happening when you feel strong emotions. You, Jason, are a wizard! And you, Alice, are a witch!" Flitwick said dramatically.

"You've got to be joking." Alice laughed. This man must be crazy! There were no witches and wizards. Who did he think he was kidding!

Instead of replying, Flitwick pulled a stick of wood out of his coat pocket and waved it in the air. Two letters popped out of thin air and floated gently (guided by Professor Flitwick's wand) to lay on the table; one directly in front of Alice and the other in front of Jason. Alice stared. She then smiled and waved her hands in the air where the letters had popped out of nowhere, searching for strings.

"Nice trick, but I've seen that one before!" She smiled. She continued to search for the strings but she couldn't feel any. Flitwick just sat back in his chair, smiling contently. Alice finally gave up and sat back down defeated. She looked at the letter. In green ink writing the letter was addressed to her.

_Miss A. Connen_

_The room overlooking the backyard_

_12 Madrik Lane_

_Dartford_

_Kent_

Alice was shocked to see that her room was on there. "But then again," she thought, "He knows Mrs. Wallace. She probably told him to make me think it was magic." Alice looked over at Jason. He was staring down at his letter in amazement. Alice followed his gaze to his letter. It was addressed similarly only with his name and his room.

_Mr. J. Connen_

_The room over the garage_

_12 Madrik Lane_

_Dartford_

_Kent_

Alice picked up her letter and inspected it. The envelope was sealed with a wax seal that had imprinted on it a coat of arms, or so it seemed. It was in the shape of a shield with a large and ornate capital "H" that was surrounded by a lion, badger, eagle, and snake.

"Open it," Flitwick smiled. Alice watched him suspiciously and picked up the envelope. She broke the wax seal and pulled the letter out of the envelope. She unfolded the letter, the sounds of paper unfolding to her left told her that Jason was doing the same.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

_of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, _

_Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

Dear Miss Connen,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

_Deputy Headmistress_

Alice looked up at Flitwick and Mrs. Wallace who were both smiling encouragingly.

"You are a witch Alice. You can do magic! You are very talented too, the both of you!" Flitwick squeaked. Alice was silent and Flitwick took that for further disbelief. He raised his wand and pointed it at the dishes in the sink. He flicked his wand and they started washing themselves. Alice stared in open mouthed amazement.

She really wanted to believe what he was telling her. That there was a reason for why she was so strange and why strange things always happened to her and her brother. The problem was that every time she believed in something wonderful, it got taken away and she was left wanting. Jason on the other hand was already latching onto this wonderful idea of magic.

"So this school, it will teach us how to control our powers? And this headmaster, is he good, I mean he's obviously good if he is all these things the letter says but I mean, is he nice? Is he a good headmaster? And what about you? What do you do at Hogwarts?" Jason asked excitedly. Flitwick was only too happy to answer his questions.

"Yes, it will teach you how to use magic and control it. Dumbledore is an amazing headmaster! The greatest Hogwarts has ever had! I teach Charms at Hogwarts and I am Head of Ravenclaw House."

"And what does Charms involve?" Jason asked.

"Well, making things fly, moving objects, spells like Cheering Charms but those aren't until later on." Flitwick replied.

"And what about Minerva McGonagall? What does she do?"

"She teaches Transfiguration which is, essentially, turning one thing into something else. She is also, as the letter says, Deputy Headmistress meaning that should Dumbledore for any reason need to leave, she would act as headmaster. Or headmistress rather. She is also Head of Gryffindor House."

"What are these houses?" Jason asked.

"Hogwarts has four houses; Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. New students are sorted into a house and that becomes, basically like your family at Hogwarts. You have classes with your house, share dormitories and common rooms. You will learn more about the houses at Hogwarts."

By the time Jason was done asking questions it was dinner time and Flitwick had to leave. He told them that he would be back Tuesday to bring them to get their school things and walked out the door. He walked to the edge of the sidewalk, turned on the spot, and disappeared with a small crack.

Jason couldn't stop talking about their newly discovered destiny and would not shut up about Hogwarts. He kept asking Alice about it, like she knew all about this mysterious place. By the time they went up to bed Jason was deeply rooted in this idea of a magical world. However, Alice went into her room skeptical. She would believe this wild story when she saw the school.

* * *

><p>"Alice wake up!"<p>

"No, go away," Alice moaned.

"Come on, Alice! Wake up!"

"No! Let me sleep," Alice groaned as she burrowed deeper under the blankets. The voice was quiet and Alice sighed thankfully. She pulled the blankets tighter around her and began to drift back into sweet sleep. Suddenly the whole bed started shaking. Alice's eyes flared open. She shot up and looked around frantically. "What are you doing?" Alice shouted. Jason stopped shaking the bed and went over to stand next to her.

"Alice, we discover that we can do magic! You and me, we're wizards! Aren't you excited?" Jason asked.

"I'll be excited to finally get a good night's sleep that's not interrupted by a wizard shaking my bed!" Alice said grumpily.

"Well, come on down for breakfast!" Jason exclaimed, beaming from Alice calling him a wizard. He ran to the door but looked back. "Margo made pancakes! Only they call them something different over here," Jason said and ran downstairs.

* * *

><p><strong>Notes<strong>: Well, this is my first ever story posted! Excited but terrified, I really hope you guys like it. Hopefully, this will be the first of many chapters following Alice and her first year at Hogwarts!


	2. Chapter 2

**Standard Disclaimer: **Harry Potter and the Wizarding World created within the pages belong to J.K. Rowling... and movie rights to Universal and Warner Brothers, although I don't go from the movies as much... I don't own HP, yada yada, you get it.

* * *

><p>September 1st was coming much quicker than Alice could've anticipated. She suspected Jason of having utilized his newfound magic powers to somehow speed up time. He would've had he known how, but Jason was not to blame for this phenomena.<p>

"It's just because I'm so antsy about it… If I was excited it would seem like years," Alice thought to herself as she was shuffled along the street by Mrs. Wallace. Margo was taking them to shop for school supplies, a list had been included with their acceptance letters. Alice had glanced at it and was now curious as to where Margo expected to find cauldrons and spell books. She knew a place apparently, as she hustled Alice and Jason along purposefully.

When Margo suddenly turned them into a building, Alice had just had enough time to glance at the sign hanging above the door. The Leaky Cauldron? Why was Margo taking them into a bar? Unless she thought, from the name, that it was a cauldron store. Mrs. Wallace was a little naïve about those sorts of things, taking names too literally and not looking at the theme or feel to it.

The Leaky Cauldron was dark inside. It took a few minutes for Alice's eyes to adjust to the dimness. Jason's apparently took less time as he was quickly glancing around, his eyes wide in confused wonder. It was as if everything was made magical to him after learning about his powers, even mundane, dingy English pubs. Margo didn't seem surprised by the interior at all. This apparently was their destination. She led them towards the bar. Passing by a table with a couple of men wearing hoods, Alice glanced over to see the men playing chess. Except that the pieces were moving on their own! Alice paused to watch, her mouth gaping wide, prepared for a bird to make a nest in there. When the white queen moved to take a black bishop, the pieces actually fought, the queen trapping the bishop in a headlock, forcing him to tap out and leave the board. At this Alice's mouth snapped shut as the man playing white cheered and the man playing back swore under his breath. Margo returned to sweep Alice over to the bar.

"Is that Ms. Stewart? Why, you're all grown up!" the barkeep exclaimed, a grin pulling at his cheeks as Margo approached him.

"It's Mrs. Wallace now," she greeted, smiling. "It's good to see you, Tom."

"I remember, you were just a teenager the last time you came with your brother." Tom looked over the bar at Alice and Jason. His eyes widened. "Is this the next generation of Stewart wizards?"

"Actually, no, my husband and I are just fostering them. This is Jason and Alice Connen," she introduced the kids to the kindly, old barkeep who grinned over at them.

"Pleased to meet you," he said, his eyes twinkling.

"Oh, no, the pleasure is ours! Are you a wizard too?" Jason was bubbling over. Tom was momentarily struck by the accent.

"What brought you two across the pond?" Tom asked curiously, forgetting the boy's question in his shock.

"Our father died," Alice stated grimly. Jason glared over at her, she really had no tact. Her eyes unflinchingly met Tom's, who gazed at them now with sympathy, but to Alice it seemed all too much like pity.

"Oh, dear, these are dark times indeed. It seems I'm meeting too many orphans starting school."

"Speaking of which, if you wouldn't mind letting us in back? I've forgotten the combination," Margo explained.

"Of course," Tom smiled, but his mood was considerably more sober now as he led them out into a walled courtyard and straight to a brick wall. There, Tom pressed a brick, that was three up from a dustbin and two over, in, and before Alice could question what he was doing, the bricks parted, forming a large archway. The archway revealed a street lined with strange shops and bustling with people dressed in all sorts of strange clothes, from robes and pointed hats, to mismatched outfits that looked like they had rummaged through an elderly person's wardrobe.

For the first time in a long while, Alice's face finally matched the wonder of Jason's. Their joyful faces really made it apparent that the two were twins, they had never looked more alike to Margo than in that moment. She couldn't hide her own wondrous grin.

It had been a long time since she had come here with her brother in his fourth year. She used to be so involved in the wizarding world, but after she went to college, she had drifted away from the wonder and the magic. She had befriended Muggles, lived with Muggles, married a Muggle, had a Muggle child, and eventually closed herself off in the Muggle World, etntirely forgetting that of the Wizarding World. That is until Charisse Charity showed up on their doorstep. Then all the memories had come flooding back and once the shock and fear wore off she let herself get excited again, for the two children that would find their home in it, giving her a chance to be connected to it again after the death of her brother.

"Come on, you two, let's get your school supplies," she said, quirking her eyebrow playfully. How many kids' school supplies involved a wand and spell books? The twins grinned at her and the three stepped into Diagon Alley, Margo waving a thank you and goodbye to Tom who returned it. The archway closed behind them as Margo led the twins off to Potage's Cauldron Shop.

Upon reflection, Margo supposed they should've gone to Flourish and Blotts last. Alice had quickly found the books on her list, paid, and was now rolling her eyes as she and Margo waited on Jason to pry his nose from a book. He had yet to check out as he had found ten other books that were apparently "Too fascinating to choose between!" Margo was tapping her foot impatiently as Jason's gaze flicked between the last two books he had narrowed it down to, a tortured expression on his face.

Alice couldn't take it anymore. Groaning, she stomped towards Jason, ripped a book out of his hand and stuffed it on a shelf before locking his arm in hers and dragging him up to the clerk. Jason cast longing glances back at the other book Alice had unceremoniously stuffed in the wrong section, but he really didn't have a choice in the matter. Alice was already paying for his books and dragging him back to Margo.

"Okay, we're done. What's next?" Alice asked Margo. Margo smiled.

"I've saved the best for last!" she explained cheerily, leading them out of the bookstore, down the street, and to a little storefront called Ollivander's.

"Wandmakers?" Jason asked hopefully.

"We get to pick our wands?" Alice asked excitedly.

"Yes, and no," Margo replied. The twins gave her a confused look after glancing between themselves. "I'll let Mr. Ollivander explain."

The three entered into the dimly lit shop. Dust filtered down through the air. A wizened old man with an eccentric look sat behind a desk, a pair of spectacles resting on his nose. Jason was the last to enter, but as he stepped out from behind Alice, something clattered in the back of the shop. Ollivander looked up, startled and peered back towards the noise. He then glanced back at Jason who looked confused. Narrowing his eyes Ollivander nodded his head.

"Interesting," he muttered. Ollivander got up from behind his desk and went into the back of the shop, forgetting to greet his customers. He wheeled a ladder over to a shelf and climbed up to a box that was glowing in the cracks under the lid and trembling slightly. Ollivander removed the box from the shelf, and returned to the front of the store with it. He set the box on his desk and carefully removed the lid.

"Come here, my boy, come, come!" he ushered Jason over. Jason cast a wary glance to Alice, who drew her eyebrows down suspiciously. He looked to Margo who simply smiled and nodded, so he stepped, cautiously over towards the strange man and the box, from which a strange, goldish glow was emanating. Ollivander drew Jason over to stand right in front of the box, where he saw a beautiful wand sitting in the box, with gold light glowing at one end. As Jason came within sight of the wand, it started sending out golden sparks. Jason started back, but Ollivander, with a single light touch, kept him there.

"Pick it up," he whispered. As Jason reached for the wand Ollivander began reciting, "Vine, unyielding, ten inches, with a phoenix feather core, quite remarkable, and rare, very uncommon," he seemed to be rambling, but Jason took in every word, burning them into his brain to always remember. As soon as his palm touched the handle, a warmth spread into his fingertips. Drawing the wand from its box, Jason held it up in front of him and it sent more gold sparks, and now some green, and purple, and blue, shooting into the sky happily.

"Vine wands are very sensitive to prospective suitors, only once before have I ever witnessed one emit magical properties upon the mere entrance of a suitable owner, very interesting," Ollivander spoke, in what seemed a perpetual whisper, which gave his words a tone of mystery and suspicion. It didn't really matter to Jason. He felt like he could take on the world, now that he had his wand.

"Well, that was fast," Margo remarked to herself. Alice glanced up at her in frustrated bewilderment.

"What is going on?" Alice demanded. Before Margo could respond, Ollivander gave forth an explanation.

"Every wand is unique, crafted from a particular wood, with one of three magical cores. A wand is not simply a tool to be used by any wizard, but bonds with a rare few. Only then can the wizard and the wand both achieve their full potential when they are properly paired. And the proper pairings come only, at least in my experience, when the wand chooses the wizard. Your brother's experience serves as an excellent example of this. The wand knew before this young man even saw it," turning to Jason he continued, "Your journey with this wand will be fascinating indeed, a partnership of great depth and purpose."

Jason blushed slightly, shocking Alice who had never seen her brother get embarrassed by praise, he usually enjoyed it.

"I'm Jason, by the way," Jason said, pulling his gaze away from his wand, the glow slowly fading. "Jason Connen."

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Connen," Ollivander whispered, the edges of his mouth pulling slightly as a smile.

Ollivander turned to the others, still standing near the doorway. He quirked his head as his gaze fell on Margo.

"Have we met?" he asked. Margo smiled slightly, though with a touch of pain.

"Yes, years ago, I was just a teenager. I came in with my brother for his wand. I'm Margo, Wallace now, but back then I was Margo Stewart," she explained.

Ollivander's eyes widened slightly and he stared off into space above a shelf.

"Ah yes, your brother, young Mr. Stewart, Cypress, twelve and a half inches, with a unicorn hair core, if I recall correctly it was particularly bendy," he recalled, mostly to himself.

"Yes, he was always bending it back and forth, I told him he would break it if he kept it up, but he never did," Margo said, a sad smile touching her lips. Ollivander looked over at her, noticing her change in tone. His face grew grave.

"He died fighting Death Eaters did he not? What, twelve years ago?" Ollivander asked softly. Margo simply nodded, looking at the floor. Alice and Jason glanced at each other. Ollivander nodded then muttered, "Cypress, I should've known."

The man's posture quickly changed and he focused his gaze on Alice.

"Well, now, are you here simply supporting your brother, or are you also going to be in need of a wand today?" he asked her, lifting an eyebrow.

"I need a wand of my own," Alice replied seriously. She stepped over to Mr. Ollivander, unsure as how to proceed as Jason's choosing had been rare and so very, as Ollivander had said, _interesting_.

Ollivander snapped his fingers and a tape measure floated over and all by itself began measuring her arms, shoulders, full height, fingers, palm, basically everything, while Mr. Ollivander went back to the rows and rows of shelves stuffed full of boxes containing wands. He clambering nimbly up the rolling stairs and, after a moment of thought, plucked a box from the shelf and returned to the young girl. He snapped his fingers again and the tape measure fell lifelessly to the floor. Alice absentmindedly picked it up and placed it on the edge of the desk as Mr. Ollivander opened the box and delicately held out a wand to her.

"Spruce, ten and a quarter inches, swishy, with a dragon heartstring core, give it a flick," he said.

Alice gently took the wand from Mr. Ollivander, it settling uncomfortably in her hand, but before she was even halfway through her flick he snatched it from her hand.

"No, no, no, that's not it," he muttered and returned the box to the shelves. He rolled the staircase down and climbed up even higher, plucking a new box and returning with it.

"Red Oak, twelve inches, unyielding, with a unicorn hair," he muttered, again giving Alice the wand. She took it and hastily flicked it, trying to finish her flick before he snatched it away again. The wand felt strange in her hand, and as she flicked it a light overhead winked out.

"Erm, maybe not," Ollivander retrieved the wand, returning it again and bringing another one.

It seemed to take hours, with Ollivander hustling back and forth bringing a new wand as apparently nothing was fitting. Alice swore she had gone through at least twenty wands, not finding a single one that felt right in her hand. She began to fearfully suspect that maybe the letter was wrong, maybe she wasn't a wizard. If this were so, she would hate that Jason had gotten her hopes up for nothing. She had just been getting excited about having an explanation for her strangeness that didn't make her insane.

Ollivander returned, a bit breathlessly with another wand and handed it to Alice. She grabbed it, frustrated at first, but this one sat a bit better in her hand. Ollivander noted her look of surprise, but again this one he took from her.

"Not yet, but close, hmm, walnut," he thought to himself and quickly went back to the shelves. He pulled out a box and looked surprised at it. He returned, this time carrying the box with a much more serious and thoughtful aplomb.

"A very handsome wand, Black Walnut, twelve and three-quarter inches, rigid, with a phoenix feather core," he whispered.

"Like mine?" Jason interrupted. Ollivander nodded, staring at the wand he held.

"From the same phoenix too, interesting," he muttered.

"Well, we are twins," Alice quirked an eyebrow. Ollivander looked at her intently before smiling. He held out the wand to her.

Alice slowly reached out to take the wand, and as soon as her fingertips brushed the wood her skin flooded with warmth. Taking the wand in hand it seemed to fit perfectly, like it had been made for her. Which, according to Ollivander, it basically had been. The wand's tip flickered with white light and silvery tendrils seemed to snake out of it to form ghostly lines as Alice swished it.

"Yes, there it is," Ollivander grinned.

Alice couldn't stop the smile from tugging at her lips.

"Black Walnut wands tend to seek owners with good instincts and powerful insight, and can be the most loyal and impressive of wands with a particular flare for charms. However, I must warn you. It has a unique quirk in that it is abnormally attuned to inner conflict. Should you practice self-deception, being unwilling to be honest with yourself or others, you will lose its loyalty and it will not perform adequately and will have to be paired with a new master," Ollivander whispered, making his dramatic words seem even more ominous.

Alice looked up at him, her smile slipping. She looked down at her wand, but, reflecting, she realized that she was pretty honest with herself, and particularly self-aware.

"You know what?" She began, tucking the wand into her jacket pocket, which was a bit too small so a bit less than half of the wand stuck out. "I don't think that'll be a problem, Mr. Ollivander."

The old wandmaker smiled at her.

The twins and Mrs. Wallace thanked him and finally left the shop. Stepping out into Diagon Alley once more, the three were momentarily blinded by the bright sunlight. Alice could've sworn that with all the time it had taken trying to find her wand that it should've been night by now, but apparently it hadn't taken as long as she thought.

"We have one last stop, and then it's back home!" Mrs. Wallace said cheerfully and led the kids out into the street. They weaved in and out of groups of wizards, many of which were families with kids getting their supplies as well. Finally Mrs. Wallace brought them to Eeylops Owl Emporium and Magical Menagerie.

"Well, that's a mouthful," Jason commented. Alice grinned, and the two followed Mrs. Wallace into the building.

They were struck by the noise and smell. But this didn't dampen their mood as they saw what the items on sale were. Pets!

Well, not normal pets. It was mostly owls, cats, rats, and toads. Which, the twins now recalled, their lists had said they could bring to school.

"I would offer you both one, but I'd think you'd like to save some of your wizard money for a while until you can start earning some more. So for now you're going to have to share one," Mrs. Wallace explained, a bit disheartened. The twins simultaneously hugged her. She was momentarily taken aback. She had gotten to know these kids, and like them, but Alice had always been a bit more reserved with the Wallaces, and this was the most affection she had ever shown the lady.

"Thank you," the twins muttered into Mrs. Wallace's shirt, before pulling away and rushing off to look at the animals. Margo followed.

The twins had all kinds of questions: Jason wanting to know all about the usefulness of each pet and the benefits and drawbacks to each, then after deciding that owls were the most practical, questioning which type was particularly fast or obedient; while Alice played with all of them and simply asked which one Margo thought was cuter or would most annoy Jason.

The twins decided upon an owl, although Alice had taken a liking to a beautiful black cat, but she explained to Margo that they were both slightly allergic to cats. Not that that had stopped their family from having cats and dogs before, but they were going to school and she wasn't sure she really wanted to worry about finding a potion to alleviate itchy noses. Now it was simply agreeing on which owl.

"This Screech Owl looks so cool! It's like he has horns! Come on! How can you pass that up?" Alice demanded, pointing to a particularly ruthless looking Screech Owl in a cage above them.

"But Brown Owls have excellent directional hearing. It will come much more in handy. You wouldn't want our mail to get lost, or be days late because our owl got lost, would you?" Jason retorted.

The twins began bickering, which was beginning to turn into an all-out fight with name-calling and possibly violence initiated by Alice. Margo quickly stepped in.

"Kids!" she called over them, silencing them both. "What about a barn owl?" she suggested, pointing to a very cute and friendly looking barn owl in a cage nearby. The twins cast her identical looks of patronization that said clearly that the barn owl was not even in the running, what did she think she was doing?

Margo had to stifle a laugh.

"While the Brown Owl has excellent hearing and directional skills, and the Screech Owl is very agile and cool-looking, the Barn Owl has an acute sense of hearing for directional and defensive purposes, while it is also very common to Britain," she explained. The twins didn't seem to see how this was important. "Which means that a Barn Owl flying around our neighborhood wouldn't be nearly as conspicuous as a Screech of Brown Owl."

The twins both considered her proposal and apparently found it acceptable for they shook hands and Alice grabbed the cage gently down from its hook. She had befriended it before they reached the clerk, make cooing sounds and sticking her fingers in between the cage bars to stroke the owl's feathers.

* * *

><p>"I think we should name him Gus," Alice pronounced as the three of them pulled into the Wallace's driveway.<p>

"Gus? Why?" Jason asked incredulously.

"Because it's cute, and he's cute," she said, cooing at the owl as they climbed out of the car.

"That's not a good enough reason. At least let's name it after a historical figure. I've been reading up a lot on figures in the Wizarding World! How about Andros? He was a Greek who supposedly could cast a Patronus the size of a giant!" Jason prattled excitedly, walking through the front door. Alice rolled her eyes as she came in behind him.

"No one cares! And he's not an 'Andros'!" she spat as though the mere thought was ridiculous.

"He could be!" Jason retorted. Approaching the cage he leaned toward the bars. "Are you an Andros? I think so, I think you like the name. Andros?" he prompted the owl. It ignored him and scratched under its wing.

"See, he doesn't like it," Alice stated simply. Jason made a face at her, which she returned. She tapped her finger to her chin thoughtfully. "No Gus, no Andros, hmm, what are some other wizards you've been reading about? Cool ones, I don't want any that were lame like, they discovered the proper thickness of cauldrons or something like that. And no A-names, or S."

"Well, there's Glanmore Peakes, who slayed the Sea Serpent of Cromer," Jason offered.

"Glanmore?" Alice mocked.

"I was thinking Peakes," Jason explained. The two then began calling to the owl with 'Peakes' with no luck. "Okay, here's one you'll like, Merwyn the Malicious created a ton of hexes and jinxes," Jason grinned. Alice's face shon.

"Awesome," she breathed. But again, the name had no effect, much to Alice's dismay. "What else have you got?"

"Well, there's Tilly Toke," Jason began, but before he could detail the man's accomplishments, the barn owl hooted. The twins looked at each other.

"Tilly?" Alice directed to the owl. It looked at her and hooted again. She shrugged at Jason. "Well, there we have it, his name is Tilly, what did his namesake do?"

"He was awarded the Order of Merlin, First Class, for saving a bunch of Muggles when a dragon swooped down on a beach of sunbathers."

"Well, look at that Tilly, you're a hero," she told the owl, who shook his feathers as if loving the praise. The twins grinned and then raced up the stairs.

Margo smiled and headed for the kitchen, just catching Alice's words.

"Hey, what's an Order of Merlin anyway?"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>Wow, it's so crazy that people from all over the world are reading my story! Thank you all, and I hope you enjoy Alice's story. I may not be the best about updating in the future, I am a college student and have other things on my plate, but I'll do my best! I had some fun with this one, as I went on Pottermore and took the wand and sorting tests as both Jason and Alice to get their wands, and to reaffirm that I knew them and had placed them in the proper houses, which I did! Yay! And the wands was fun seeing some aspects of their personalities confirmed, while offering interesting plot points I could do with them. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and please feel free to leave reviews!


	3. Chapter 3

**Standard Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter or the Wizarding World J.K. Rowling created.

* * *

><p>Alice's eyes flared open, her mind immediately alert though it was the middle of the night. She shot up to a sitting position and scanned her room quickly as her hand went, now instinctively to her wand on the night table.<p>

Some strange noise had woken her, as it had for several nights previous. She couldn't seem to find the source of the noise, but she would get it this time.

Tilly was on his perch in his cage, the door open as Alice couldn't make herself keep him locked up. He also tended to get quite loud at night when locked up, as Alice had learned the hard way the first couple of nights. He had hooted, and clawed and bit at the cage all throughout the night. Alice had at first thought he wanted to go hunting, but after opening his cage door, after trying, and failing, to ignore him from two to three in the morning, he had remained inside but now content. It wasn't any specific thing he wanted to do, he apparently just wanted the option, the choice. Alice had then learned, after the first night of simply leaving his cage door open, that Tilly got quite active at night and got lonely after a while, for Alice was woken by Tilly perching on her shoulder and nudging her with his beak at four in the morning. After that she left her window open too, and that seemed to have solved the problem.

But she still wasn't getting a full night's sleep. Now this strange noise was waking her.

Alice tossed the covers back and quickly leapt off of the bed and away from the edge. Not that she was still afraid of monsters under her bed, but she had recently learned that goblins, giants, and nasty little creatures called red caps existed and she wasn't gonna take the chance that one was just waiting to grab her feet from under the bed.

She leaned down to peer under the bed and found it empty beneath. Nodding satisfactorily, Alice straightened up and began to investigate the rest of her room. First beginning with the closet, as, after the bed, it was the next likely source of dark creatures. Alice's heart began to race as she thought she saw a scaly arm hiding behind one of her sweaters. She quickly snatched at it and had a brief struggle with what turned out to be one of her leather jackets. Glaring over at Tilly, who hooted teasingly, she made him swear never to tell anyone. Considering Tilly didn't speak English, she figured she was safe on that end.

A thorough investigation of her room produced no results. Alice was about to give up and hope the sound had finally ceased and wouldn't return the next night, but Tilly was looking strangely confident. Walking over to his cage she narrowed her eyes at the owl, who cooed and ruffled his feathers before nodding down towards the bottom of the cage. Alice followed his motion to find a small, strange rodent-type creature. But it wasn't a normal rodent, Alice knew it must be some sort of magical creature. It was still and silent, but guessing from the fact that it wasn't eaten yet it must've been a recent catch of Tilly's. Maybe it had been the strange noise that woke her. And maybe Tilly had brought one back each time since Alice had opened the window.

Feeling confident in her deduction, Alice stroked Tilly and returned to bed. But she couldn't fall asleep. Not for fear, but from anxiety: September 1st was only three days away and she would be starting school at a magic school!

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><p>Groaning in frustration, Alice flopped out of bed to again search for the source of the noise. She scoured the room but found nothing. But for the first time in a week the sound repeated itself. This time she located it: a small box on her bookshelf.<p>

Quirking her eyebrow, Alice drew the box from the shelf and sat down with it at the window seat. Alice steeled herself as she slowly opened it, finding the face of her father staring up at her. Her brother too, and herself, it was a picture from a few years ago, when they went to a baseball game. Jason had excitedly explained the rules and entire history of the game to her and their dad, who just gave each other _that _look and smiled. Alice had found the game rather boring, and her dad had continually messed up the terms. Mistakenly calling the ball a quaffle, and mentioning that home runs would be easier to catch if the outfielders were on flying brooms.

The family in the picture moved, her dad ruffling her's and her brother's hair as they ducked away making faces before laughingly falling back into place. Alice's stomach was doing flips and flutters as she realized the meaning behind her father's comments, which until now she thought had simply been his fanciful imagination and lack of sports knowledge. Now she realized that her father, if he had not himself been a wizard, had at least known about the wizarding world and the game called quidditch that Margo had explained to the twins at Diagon Alley, passing the Quality Quidditch Supplies store.

Her father's picture grinned and waved up at her, but she slammed the box shut in her picture dad's face. Her whole life suddenly felt like a lie that her father had told her and Jason. The knowledge that he had kept such a big part of their life from them know seemed a betrayal. What would their lives have been like if he had raised them in their magic? Would he even have died in that car crash? Maybe she or Jason would've been able to stop it with magic.

The box fell out of Alice's numb fingers as she stared out the window trying to blink back tears and stifle the knot in her throat that was threatening to choke her. Blinking rapidly, by the sheer force of will, Alice cleared her throat and eyes and took a deep breath. It was no use thinking those thoughts. "Could've been"s got you nowhere in life; her Aunt K had told her that. She had been talking about a big deal her company missed out on, but the point remained.

Tilly landed lightly on Alice's lap after fluttering across the room. His claws dug painfully into Alice's leg, and she knew she would find holes in her pajama pants in the morning, but she welcomed his presence. Stroking his feathers, Alice looked to him.

"You don't worry about 'could have been's do you?" she asked the owl, who blinked. "No, owls don't think about that kind of stuff. You worry about hunting rodents and having your cage door open, keeping your feathers clean, that kind of stuff."

Alice pressed her forehead against Tilly's, who remained still as if knowing she needed this. And she really thought that in a way he really did.

"Thank you," Alice murmured. She leaned back and Tilly hooted before flapping back to his cage where he perched on top of it. Alice got up and returned to her bed. As she pulled up the covers she muttered, "I just talked to an owl. I don't think magical powers can explain that away." Tilly hooted in agreement. Alice cast Tilly a teasing glare before snuggling down into her covers and falling asleep.

For the rest of the nights in the Wallace's house, Alice slept soundly through the night, no longer wakened by a strange sound.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Sorry for the shortness of this one. I meant for this chapter to be them going to Platform 9 3/4, but it went a different direction, that will be the next chapter though! Thank you for all the views and please leave reviews!


	4. Chapter 4

**Standard Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter.

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><p>Mrs. Wallace gently rapped her knuckles on the door to Alice's bedroom. Not hearing a response she slowly opened the door, completely expecting Alice to still be in bed. The girl tended to sleep late, probably because she stayed up late every night doing weird things like rearranging her bookshelf or bouncing a ball off her wall repeatedly or even tying all her sheets together, tying one end to her bed post and tossing the other end out the window, and climbing down just to see if she could.<p>

Instead, Margo found Alice jumping on her suitcase trying to force it closed. She quickly stopped and sat on her suitcase, looking innocent when she heard the door squeak open. The room looked as if a hurricane had hit in the night, with clothes and miscellaneous objects strewn across the floor. Every closet door and drawer was hanging open having been ransacked of their contents. It looked as though Alice had tried to pack up her entire room at first, but finding that impossible hadn't gotten around to putting anything away.

"Good morning, Mrs. Wallace," Alice smiled, as though nothing was amiss.

"Good morning, Alice, having some difficulty?" Margo asked, her lips twitching.

"Well, unless you know a spell that could make my suitcase bigger, or put all my stuff back where it belongs I'm not too sure," she replied.

Margo walked inside and over to Alice, still sitting on her suitcase.

"You know you don't have to bring everything you own?" Margo teased. Alice sighed, standing up off of the suitcase.

"I know, but I hate packing, I never know what to bring. I've repacked like twenty times already!" Alice explained in frustration.

"How long have you been up?" Margo asked curiously.

"Oh, I never went to bed," Alice replied nonchalantly.

"Alice!" Margo scolded. Alice wasn't paying attention. "Well, maybe you can sleep on the train."

"Is Jason ready?" Alice asked as she tossed open her suitcase. She had simply thrown everything in there haphazardly, not bothering to fold a thing. Margo helped her unpack it.

"He's been packed since yesterday morning," Margo answered. Alice clicked her tongue and shook her head.

The two managed to unpack Alice's mess of a suitcase and sort through her things into a manageable order. Mrs. Wallace helped her in deciding what was necessary and non-essential, which proved invaluable as Alice had completely forgotten to pack her school books. Mrs. Wallace was an excellent packer from years of experience ranging from camping trips to helping her brother pack for Hogwarts. The suitcase was still a bit packed, but having Alice sit on top of it while Margo zipped it shut made it work.

Mrs. Wallace helped Alice take her suitcase downstairs to place by the door. Alice had to dash back upstairs to grab Tilly's cage after his reproachful hoot reminded her that she had left him. With everything ready by the door, Mrs. Wallace and Alice joined the boys for breakfast.

Alice couldn't eat. Her stomach was in such turmoil from excitement and nerves that she knew she wouldn't be able to keep anything down. She managed to choke down a few nibbles of an orange at Mrs. Wallace's behest. In just a few hours she would be getting on a train, for the first time mind you, and heading to a magical boarding school, another first, and her tummy didn't seem able to decide how it felt about that.

The twin telepathy was clearly off that morning as Jason couldn't stop talking about it in between shoveling eggs into his mouth.

"And when we get there, we'll be sorted into one of four houses! Each house is associated with certain characteristics, although if you ask, supposedly you can be placed in anything. Slytherin is for ambitious people, Hufflepuff for loyal and friendly people," Alice snorted at that. "Gryffindor for the brave, and Ravenclaw is supposed to be the intelligent or creative kids!"

"Well, you can skip the ceremony then, 'cause we already know that's where you'll be sorted," Alice grumbled, a little miffed at Jason for being so cheery and casual about this. They were going to a magic school with a ton of kids that had been raised in magical households. Alice just knew that she would make a fool of herself because of her lack of knowledge. But besides the magical aspect, going to a new school was always tough. A year ago, Alice had been all set to go to middle school with her best friends growing up. Not only was she going to a school without her friends, it was in a completely different country! How was she supposed to make friends with people from a different country? Would they even give her a chance?

Alice's gloomy musings continued on the drive to King's Cross train station, and Jason's ceaseless chatter continued too. Alice began to rethink the problem of lack of knowledge, at this rate she would probably know more about the wizarding world than the kids raised in it!

Mr. Wallace hadn't been too involved with them since Mr. Flitwick delivered their letter. He was content with his Muggle world and knowledge, and he found all this talk of magic a bit disconcerting. It didn't really help that his wife had apparently jumped right on in! So he and Preston stayed in the car while Mrs. Wallace took the twins inside the station.

Tilly squawked, perturbed, as his cage rattled from Alice's cart bumping into someone else's.

"Sorry," Alice apologized breathlessly, both to the person she bumped into and to the owl.

"Come on, Alice! We're gonna miss the train!" Jason complained as he raced ahead. Alice grumbled that that wasn't all he was gonna miss today.

Mrs. Wallace helped Alice straighten out her cart and led her after Jason. They eventually caught up with him where he was staring, perplexed, between the signs for platform 9 and platform 10. Alice, her eyebrows knitting together, pulled her ticket out of her pocket to look at it again.

"Platform 9 ¾? I knew this whole thing was impossible!" She exclaimed.

"Not so fast, Miss Pessimist," Mrs. Wallace teased. "The platform is protected from Muggles. It's between these two platforms," she explained.

"Bu there's just a brick wall between these platforms," Jason replied.

Alice got it. Or at least, she thought she did. She wheeled her cart up in front of the wall between the signs for platforms 9 and 10. She glanced over at Mrs. Wallace for verification, who smiled and nodded. Alice prayed that she was right, 'cause if not this was really gonna hurt. She went ahead and apologized to Tilly, just in case.

Alice jogged straight at the wall—

And passed through it and into a bustling platform. Looking up she saw a sign declaring that she was in the right place. Just remembering that Jason was gonna be coming shortly after her she hastily maneuvered her cart out of the way of the entrance. Just in time too, as Jason, and Mrs. Wallace shortly after, burst through right where Alice had been standing.

"Woah!" Jason's eyes were bigger than the moon. He turned to Alice. "How did you know the wall wasn't real?"

"I didn't, I just guessed," she shrugged. Jason stared at her incredulously.

"You're crazy," he laughed, shaking his head.

"No! I'm magical!" she replied, bumping her shoulder into his.

"Let's get you guys onboard," Mrs. Wallace said and the three headed over to the train.

A bunch of the doors were packed with people getting onboard, so they tried to weave their way through the crowd towards the back where they could find a less crowded door. Manuevering her cart wasn't one of Alice's skills however and it wasn't long before she crashed right into another kid's cart. The carts toppled, spilling their contents into a heap, on which the kids landed after having flipped over the handle bars of their carts.

"Ow," Alice groaned, sitting up.

"You said it, mate," the other kid said.

They both extricated themselves from the heap of luggage as their families hastened over to help. Alice finally got a good look at the kid. He was stalky, with a mat of bright red hair, and a face smattered with freckles. Suddenly, Alice was seeing double and she at first wondered if she hadn't hit her head a bit hard. Then she realized; twins.

"Sorry, I'm not a professional cart driver," Alice apologized.

"Really, I could've sworn!" The twin she had crashed into laughed. "I'm George! George Weasley!" he greeted her cheerfully and held out a hand. She shook it, looking at him a bit strange.

"Alice, Alice Connen," she returned.

"Oi! What kinda accent is that?" his twin asked, coming up behind George to lean against him.

"Says the Brit!" she laughed, but then explained, "I'm American."

"What're you doing here then?" George asked curiously.

"Exchange program," Jason answered, righting Alice's cart.

"This is my twin, Jason," she said, nodding over at him.

The twins hit at each other with the back of their hands to make sure the other heard.

"Oi, ya hear that Fred?" George asked his twin, who was apparently named Fred.

"I do indeed, George. We're in the midst of our own kind!" he said awestruck, but for some reason everything out of the twins' mouths sounded like a joke. Alice liked that.

"Well, I don't get mistaken for my brother too often like I'm sure you guys do, but yeah, I mean we've got the twin telepathy thing, right Jason?" she called over to him. Jason dropped a box on his foot.

"What?" he snapped. Alice and the twins laughed.

"Well, maybe not so much," she grinned.

"So's this yer first year, then?" George asked.

Their carts were finally filled again, but Alice and the twins continued talking.

"Yeah," she sighed. Tilly squawked at her indignantly, upset at being toppled. Alice made a face at him in response.

"Oi! You've got yer own owl! Wicked!" Fred exclaimed.

"Yeah, this is Tilly. Well, my brother and I share him," she explained then continued in a dramatic whisper, "He likes me better though."

"Excellent! Our family's got an owl, Errol 'is name is, he's pretty useless though, he's probably older than us!" George said.

"Well, you can use Tilly here any time you'd like," Alice offered.

"Thanks!" the twins said in unison.

"Fred! How did you get into this mess? Did you apologize to this girl?" a red-headed older woman howled, coming towards the twins. She was obviously Mrs. Weasley.

"Oi! I didn't do it! It was George! You call yourself our mother!" Fred returned in mock indignation.

"Actually, Ma'am, it was my fault," Alice piped up. Mrs. Weasley turned to her, her face softening.

"She's right, mum," George agreed, nodding. Mrs. Weasley glared at him before turning back to Alice.

"Oh, my dear, pay no mind to these boys! You aren't hurt are you? That was a nasty little crash. I'm Molly Weasley," Mrs. Weasley cooed.

"Oh, I'm fine, and nice to meet you, I'm Alice," Alice replied.

"Is this your first year, my dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Yes, it is Ma'am," Alice replied politely.

"Oh, my dear, call me Molly please! Oh, you'll love Hogwarts, but you'll have to watch out for these boys! They're going back for their second year. Are you alone dear?" Molly asked kindly.

"Oh, no Ma—Molly. My foster family is here with me and my brother," Alice replied.

"Oh, is he going too?" Molly asked as Jason stood next to Alice.

"Yes, it's our first year," Jason answered.

"Twins," Molly smiled, but there was a hint of wariness as if she was suspecting they were another Fred and George. Mrs. Weasley honestly wondered if Hogwarts could handle two sets of them in one year! "Oh, and this must be your foster mother!" Molly exclaimed as Mrs. Wallace came over.

"Yes, hi, I'm Margo Wallace!" Mrs. Wallace greeted Mrs. Weasley.

A shrill whistle peeled through the air, halting further conversation.

"Oh! Boys! Let's go! Get your stuff on the train!" Mrs. Weasley called out to a group of red-headed boys in a wide range of ages.

"We need to do the same," Mrs. Wallace told the twins. "It was nice to meet you, especially considering the circumstances."

"Oh, yes! I wish you the best of luck in your first year!" Mrs. Weasley called after the twins as she hurried along after her sons.

Mrs. Wallace and the twins managed to find a clear door and get all their stuff on board. The twins said their goodbyes to Margo and then climbed aboard. They were near the back so they quickly found an open compartment and threw their stuff inside before going to the window where they waved to Mrs. Wallace. The train began to move and Margo waved after the twins, alongside all the other families waving to their children.

Margo remembered when she had done this last; she saw her brother off for his fifth year at Hogwarts. After that, Margo went to college and always left before him. For a moment, it was his train that was disappearing into the distance, instead of that of the two young kids that had brought her back to the magic.

The train quickly pulled them out of sight of Mrs. Wallace, sending the twins, who had been leaning out of the window waving at her, to lean back in and plop into the seats.

"I'm gonna miss her," Jason stated.

"Yeah, me too," Alice echoed, surprised that it was true.

The twins were silent for a moment, the only sounds those of the train and the air whooshing past. That silence was interrupted as the door to their compartment slid open to reveal the Weasley twins. The open door let in the sounds of laughter.

"Oi! There you are! Why're you two in here on your own?" asked Fred.

"Uh, maybe because we don't know anyone?" Alice offered, quirking her eyebrow. Fred waved her off.

"Sure you do! You know us! Come along down to our compartment!" George declared.

The twins shrugged and followed the twins down to their compartment, where upon sliding open the door, a paper bird flew out, followed by some sort of firework, but was clearly magical as it danced in front of first Fred's, and then George's nose before shooting up above their heads and bursting into a shower of sparkles.

"Oi! That was supposed to be saved for the ceremony!" George scolded as they ducked into the compartment.

Inside was a dark-skinned boy with dreadlocks, holding what Alice assumed to be the container for the firework, a very pretty dark-skinned girl, and a cute tan-skinned girl. They laughed as Fred and George scolded them.

"This is Alice and Jason, they're first-years," Fred introduced them as he plopped down to sit next to the boy with dreadlocks.

"I'm Lee Jordan!" the boy introduced himself.

"I'm Angelina," the dark-skinned girl chimed.

"Alicia," the other girl waved.

"We're all second years, and in Gryffindor, so, sorry, but it's kind of a biased compartment," Angelina grinned as Alice and Jason sat over on her side.

"But Gryffindor's still the best!" Lee exclaimed. The others laughed but shushed him, the Weasley twins pelting him with anything they could get their hands on.

"So, which house do you guys think you'll get? Or want to get?" Alicia asked, looking up from her seat on the floor.

"I'd like to be in Ravenclaw," Jason shared. Fred grinned.

"Ah, so you're a genius then?" he asked, the wheels in his mind working visibly.

Jason began to shrug it off, but Alice nodded vehemently, setting the compartment to laughter.

"Alright, what about you, Alice?" Lee asked.

"I don't know," she shied away from the question. Alice hated making predictions, for purely selfish reasons as she didn't like to be proven wrong if she could help it.

"Aw, yes you do! I can see it!" George prodded.

"Probably Gryffindor," she relented. The compartment cheered.

"Yeah, house of the brave, she certainly isn't afraid of speaking her mind," Jason commented.

"Yeah, he's the brain and the filter, I'm the instinct and the mouth," Alice agreed.

"Then you'd fit right in with us!" Angelina laughed.

"So, back to this, Jason being a genius thing. We've had this dream for years of doing," Fred waved his hand ambiguously, "entrepreneurial work. Would you be interested in perhaps helping us figure out some enchantments for stuff, in the future of course, when you're more versed in spell-work," he propositioned.

"Sure, I guess, so long as I get a share," Jason grinned. George snapped his fingers and laughed.

"He is a smart one!"

"Alright, deal!" Fred exclaimed and the two shook on it.

There was never a dull moment in the compartment, as everyone was either laughing at a story being told or laughing at jokes, or practical jokes played on each other within the compartment. This later reached to big a scale and they headed out on a mission to prank other compartments, starting with the Weasley's older brothers, Percy and Charlie. Charlie was a senior and he took them setting off a dung bomb in his compartment pretty well. Percy was a fourth year who did not take well them casting a spell on him where every time he tried to talk, he hiccupped bubbles.

They returned to their compartment, all breathless from laughter, just in time for the candy lady to knock on their door. This created chaos as everyone was yelling and tossing money at George who was apparently managing the sale. He dumped a pile of strange candies in the center of the floor, to which everyone reached into, grabbing out their favorites.

"Jason, you've got to try Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans!" George said, grinning and shoving a box into Jason's hand. Jason took it and picked out a light blue colored one and popped it into his mouth. As he chewed, his face scrunched more and more until he finally spit the jelly bean out.

"Ugh! That tastes like soap!" he spat.

"Then that's probably what it was!" Fred laughed.

"Wait, so it's like literally every flavor?" Alice asked.

"Any flavor you can imagine, they make it!" Lee grinned.

"I'd hate to get a vomit-flavored one!" she grimaced. They all laughed and Alice picked out the nearest chocolate item she could find. A Chocolate Frog.

"Okay, so Every Flavor Beans are literally every flavor, so is this a real frog?" she asked curiously, pulling off the outer plastic wrap.

"No, it's chocolate, but it's got an enchantment where it'll hop around and ribbet like a frog," Angelina explained.

"So eat it before it hops away! I don't know how many I've lost out the window!" Alicia laughed.

Alice opened it up and grabbed the frog in a death grip before it could hop away. She then bit off the head, relishing in the sweet chocolate-y-ness.

"Oh, and they come with a card of a famous witch or wizard!" George mumbled, his mouth full.

Alice pulled out the card as she savored the chocolate. On one side was the picture of a young, handsome wizard smiling up at her. She flipped it over to find a description. Her jaw dropped.

She showed the card to Jason, who laughed.

"What're we missing? Share!" Fred demanded, chuckling.

"It's Tilly Toke. He saved a beach of Muggles from a dragon. We named our owl after him," Alice explained.

"Weird that that'd be the first card we get," Jason commented.

"If that fits your definition of weird, you've got to step it up! You go to a magic school now!" Lee Jordan grinned.

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><p><strong>Author's<strong> **Notes: **She's met the twins! Alice and the Weasley twins are basically the Marauders all over again, poor Hogwarts, I should'nt have done that to you again! Thank you to everyone who's reading, following, etc. I always love reviews!


	5. Chapter 5

**Standard Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter or Hogwarts or Quidditch or anything else relating to it that the wonderful J.K. created.

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><p>Alice didn't end up getting any sleep on the train as Margo had suggested. The compartment was just too lively and involved and Alice loved it. They managed to track down the candy lady three more times to replenish their stock, and by the time it grew dark outside the window Alice was certain she would slip into a food-induced coma any second now.<p>

The second-years had become convinced that Alice would be joining in them in Gryffindor and that Jason would be heading into Ravenclaw. They weren't disappointed a bit with this as they figured they would have an in with the smartest kids in school to help with work and exams. Jason made no promises though.

Even though Alice couldn't sleep with all that was going on in the compartment, Lee Jordan apparently had no such issues. He was slumped in the corner, the side of his head leaning against the window, his eyes closed, and mouth open slightly. As soon as they were certain he was sound asleep, the Weasleys began messing with him.

George and Fred started a game of trying to stick as many things to Lee's face as they could before waking him. They were up to three chocolate frog cards, twelve Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, two licorice whips, a quill pen, and George was working on balancing a book on top of Lee's head when the train gave a lurch.

Lee's head banged against the window, instantly waking him. It took a few more seconds for him to realize all the stuff sticking to his face through sticking charms as the compartment rolled with laughter. Once she could breathe, Angelina explained the lurch and subsequent slowing of the train.

"Looks like we're coming into the station!" she announced.

"Oh, I can't wait for the feast! I'm starving!" George grinned.

"How? We've eaten practically the entire candy trolley!" Alicia asked incredulously.

"That's candy! It doesn't count!" Fred explained.

"We should probably go get our stuff," Jason told Alice. She nodded in agreement and the twins waved goodbye to the second-years as they exited the compartment and made their way back to the one they had stuffed their suitcases into. The train had come to a complete stop by the time they got to the compartment, and the train whistle peeled out as they pulled their suitcases down from the overhead. A voice could be heard bellowing along the platform as they headed for the exit.

Alice hopped down off the train and onto the platform, her suitcase clattering down behind her. She and Jason entered the sea of students that were filing off the train. They could now understand the bellowing, and as it was calling out for first-years, they made their way through the crowd towards it.

The bellowing was issuing from a giant! Or so he appeared to the twins. The man must've been over seven feet tall and had a mass of dark hair and beard. He was wearing a big furry coat and holding a lantern out, hollering for first-years to follow him. The twins obeyed and got swept up into a smaller crowd of eleven year-olds trailing after the giant-man.

Forming their own little crowd apart from the rest of the student body, the giant-man told them to leave their things here. The students didn't seem overly fond of the idea, but the man, who said his name was Hagrid, assured them that it would be well taken care of, and would make its way to the castle. Alice shrugged and left her suitcase, but then she saw Tilly in his cage. Hagrid apparently saw the dilemma Alice was facing and came over to her.

"He'll be alright, dear! I can assure ye that yer here owl will be safe and sound and waiting for you up at the castle!" he said kindly.

"Is that a promise?" Alice asked the big man, staring up at him unflinchingly. Hagrid's smile spread across his whole face.

"Cross my heart!" he chuckled and suited his actions to his words. Alice cast him a close-lipped smile before being herded off alongside the other students.

Hagrid led them off the platform and down a little path to a lake, where a dozen little boats were tied up. A huge and beautifully enchanting (Alice smirked) castle was outlined by the star-filled night sky across the water.

"All aboard!" Hagrid bellowed, and the kids clambered into the boats.

Alice had never been in a boat this little before, and she was a bit unsteady on her feet, so she quickly sat down before she could tumble out into the water and give everyone a nice laugh. Jason clambered in after her, setting the boat to rocking. After him came another little girl, this one pale-skinned with shining black hair.

Alice glanced around the bottom of the boat as Hagrid untied all the boats. She couldn't find any oars, but before she could question how they were supposed to move the boats, the boats all began to drift out purposefully towards the school.

"Magic, duh, Alice!" she scolded herself mentally, but she was reassured that she wasn't the only one that had missed this at first as other kids' faces reflected awe and surprise as the boats propelled and navigated themselves.

The tiny fleet of boats made it across the lake with only one minor incident of a boy toppling out after trying to catch a fish. Hagrid had just scooped him out of the water and plopped him down in his own boat, never missing a beat. The boats bobbed up to a small landing beneath the castle. Here they all climbed out and were led into the castle and into a small room.

A woman in long robes wearing spectacles and a pointed hat awaited them, and when they had all packed into the room, she greeted them.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. I'm Professor McGonagall. Now, in a few moments you will pass through these doors and join your classmates, but before you take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses," Professor McGonagall began. The students looked around a bit nervously at this idea of 'sorting.' McGongall continued, "They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Now while you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points. Any rule breaking, and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup."

Jason knew all of this already, but Alice hadn't been listening when he had explained all about the House points system, so she clung eagerly to the idea, already forming plans as to how not to get caught in any rule breaking. She figured she could probably defer to the Weasley twins in that aspect, they seemed like they had that figured out.

The pack of students could hear the din of students in the Great Hall and waited patiently for McGonagall to bring them in. In the meantime, the students started to introduce themselves. The girl who had ridden with Alice and Jason was still near them, and so she turned to them.

"Hi, I'm Katie," she said somewhat nervously.

"Alice, and this is my brother Jason," Alice introduced herself and Jason.

"Nice to meet you," Jason added.

"Alright!" McGonagall called out, silencing all of the first-years and directing their attention to her. "Follow me."

McGongall led the students out of the small room and out into the front of the Great Hall. They passed in a line before a long table, which a bunch of older witches and wizards were seated behind. These must be the other professors, and Alice guessed that the old man in the larger chair behind the center of the table must be the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. Turning to look out on the other side, Alcie saw four incredibly long tables extending out towards the back of the hall, with hundreds of students crowded onto the benches along each side of the tables. Looking out at them, the one furthest right was filled with students wearing robes with green and silver badges and ties. Next to that one towards the center, the students were in blue and bronze, next to them, yellow and black, and on the far left, red and gold. The four houses.

At the Gryffindor table she was able to easily pick out the Weasley twins with their flaming hair and they grinned and waved at her. She waved back as she made her way with the other first-years to the center of the room, where they formed a line facing the dais, where a stool sat, an old, floppy-looking hat seated atop it. McGonagall stood to the side of the stool, holding a list. The hall quieted and the hat on the stool began to move, a tear at the seam opening up, from which the hat began to sing!

_Once long ago, the founders four_

_Did join to build this school,_

_At which each would find their kind_

_To teach them useful tools._

_Godric Gryffindor did seek out_

_Those of bravery and daring,_

_Students of the courageous sort_

_Found with him a perfect pairing!_

_Dear Hufflepuff was kind hearted_

_And sought those of similar kind,_

_Welcoming the just, hard-working,_

_Loyal, and patient of mind._

_Wise Ravenclaw valued learning,_

_Cleverness, and creativity,_

_Those she sought were often curious,_

_And of a scholarly proclivity._

_Slytherin was cunning,_

_And ambitious in his endeavors,_

_Preferring to teach only those_

_Pure-blooded witches and wizards._

_In me they placed traits of all_

_To choose once they were gone,_

_I've never chosen wrong before,_

_So sit down and put me on!_

The hat ended its song and the students clapped politely. McGongall held up her list and cleared her throat. As she lifted the hat, every eye turned to her.

"When I call your name, come up and sit on the stool, when the hat sorts you, you will join your house at the table," she explained to the first-years. Alice's stomach decided it wanted to be a gymnast.

"Abrams, Andrew!" McGongall called out the first name. A slender boy with dark hair crept up to the stool and sat down. McGongall lowered the hat onto his head where it contemplated for about thirty seconds before shouting out, "Ravenclaw!"

The Ravenclaw table erupted into cheers. Andrew slid off the stool shakily and made his way to the Ravenclaw table, grinning nervously as he was patted on the back by his fellow house members.

"Aster, Michael!" A boy with sandy-blonde hair approached the stool. Sitting down, McGongall placed the hat on his head, the brim slipping down over his eyes at first before he quickly shoved it back a bit.

"Hufflepuff!" the hat declared, and McGongall pulled it back off of Michael's head.

The Hufflepuff table burst into cheers and whistles. Michael was welcomed to his house and crammed onto the benches as the ceremony continued.

"Beaumont, Emily!"

A little girl with blonde ringlets hopped up and plopped onto the stool. She hardly seemed nervous at all, with a huge smile on her face as McGongall lowered the hat onto her head. It had barely slid past the first curls when it rang out, "Gryffindor!"

The Gryffindor table exploded, as if it just had to outdo the Ravenclaw table. The other houses applauded respectively, except for the Slytherin table. Emily slid off the stool and bounced over to the Gryffindor table where she was welcomed warmly.

"Bell, Katie," McGongall called out.

The dark-haired girl that had ridden in the boat with Alice and Jason took a deep breath before stepping up onto the dais. She took a seat on the stool and McGongall lowered the hat onto the girl's head. It was much too large and would've slipped down over her ears had her ponytail not held it up. The hat took a moment, a few mutterings from it were audible, but it wasn't a full minute before it called out, "Gryffindor!" The Gryffindor table exploded into cheers once more, and welcomed Katie as she joined them on wobbly legs and sat beside Emily.

"Carmichael, Eddie!"

"Ravenclaw!"

Alice was glancing around curiously, and quite by accident looked straight up to see hundreds of candles floating in mid-air against the night sky! Alice was sure that there was a ceiling, but when she looked up all she saw was a dark sky littered with pinpricks of light and what looked to be distant galaxies that she saw only in pictures developed by NASA. Right over her head a shooting star rocketed across the ceiling, for Alice was sure that there was a ceiling and that this phenomena must be an enchantment.

"Chang, Cho!"

"Ravenclaw!"

"Connen, Alice!"

Alice was flat-footed, not fully comprehending that her name had been called. Jason shoved her in the back, forcing her forward. She regained her balance from her brother's shove and crept up to the stool, trying to appear calm and collected but knowing that everyone could see her legs shaking. She climbed up onto the stool, her feet dangling above the floor. Staring out into the sea of students, she saw every eye on her expectantly. She was glad that the hat came down low over her eyes so she could look at the brim of the hat instead of the hundreds of faces all turned on her. She started a voice in her head.

"Hmm, interesting," the hat said, but apparently only to her for she hadn't heard it speak during any of the other kids, but it must've. "You are a bright one, but not in a bookish way, more instinctual. There's ambition there and cunning. You're not afraid of breaking some rules," the hat told her. It was dead on. I mean, had she not just moments before been planning on how not to get caught breaking rules? "But there's also loyalty that would keep you from pursuing goals by 'any means necessary' so Slytherin is out. I'm leaning towards Gryffindor," it said.

"I'm cool with that," she thought, hoping that the hat would hear her. It did.

"Alright then, Gryffindor!" It shouted out to the Great Hall.

Alice's ears were burning as McGongall lifted the hat from her head and the roars flooded the hall. Alice somehow managed to make her way to the Gryffindor table where the Weasley twins, Lee Jordan, Angelina Johnson, and Alicia Spinnet were cheering wildly. Alice couldn't keep the grin from her face, nor the blush. The second-years opened up a seat with them for her to sit, all of them congratulating her. Alice muttered her thanks and then everyone turned their attention to the front of the hall, where her brother would be next.

"Connen, Jason!"

Jason appeared much more confident walking up to the stool. His feet didn't touch the ground either, they were a short pair. McGongall lowered the Sorting Hat onto Jason's head, but it just barely touched his forehead before shouting out, "Ravenclaw!"

Alice cheered for her brother, but she had to admit that part of her was disappointed they wouldn't be in the same house. She'd be on her own.

"Edgecomb, Marietta!" a girl with curly, reddish-blonde hair seemed to trudge up to the stool.

"Ravenclaw!"

"Grayson, Gabriella!" a tall girl with tan, freckled skin and dark hair and eyes gracefully made her way up to the stool. The Sorting Hat actually took a little while with her, taking almost two minutes before it shouted out, "Hufflepuff!"

"Hinkel, Elizabeth!" a girl with straight, light brown hair crept up to the stool and sat. When McGongall put the big floppy hat on her, it just made the girl seem that much smaller. Her hands clutched onto the stool as she awaited the hat's decision. It didn't take too long for it to announce, "Gryffindor!"

After a while, Alice stopped paying as much attention to each individual kid. She heard the names called out and their houses declared, but there were just so many kids. This always happened, having a name at the beginning of the alphabet, she got bored with the rest.

"Jones, Henry!"

"Ravenclaw!"

"Koontz, Lionel!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"McLaggen, Cormac!"

"Gryffindor!"

Alice cheered along with the other Gryffindors as Cormac swaggered over to the table. Just from his walk over, Alice decided that she probably wouldn't like him. He seemed pretty cocky, even for an eleven year-old! A string of Hufflepuffs and Slytherins were called out, and she didn't pay much heed besides politely clapping while trying to stifle a yawn. This proved much harder than it seemed as she covered her mouth with one hand and thus clapped her hand on her leg, but it didn't produce the same effect.

"Parks, Cole!"

"Gryffindor!"

The table jolted back to life, and Cole found a spot across from Alice next to Fred Weasley, who grabbed hold of the boy and kissed him on the top of the head. Cole looked a bit shocked, simply causing the group to laugh louder.

Another string of students, mostly the other houses, but they did manage one other Gryffindor, a girl named Leanne who sat next to Katie Bell. Finally, there was only one student left, for which Alice was grateful, her stomach seemed ready to eat itself she was so hungry.

"Ward, Thomas!"

"Gryffindor!"

After a final eruption from the crimson and gold table, Professor McGongall took the hat and stool away. The Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, stood up and the Great Hall quieted, everyone's attention on him. Alice finally managed to get a good look at him, as during the sorting ceremony she really only had eyes for the Sorting Hat and Professor McGongall as she anxiously awaited her name to be called. Dumbledore was clearly very old, with long white hair and a long white beard, but he didn't seem very stooped. He stood tall and with an air of authority and power. He had a kindly face, half-moon spectacles resting on the tip of his nose, and wore a tall pointed hat with stars on it. To be honest, he looked like what Alice had always pictured when she thought 'wizard.'

Dumbledore peered out over the hall, and for a second, Alice could've sworn his eyes landed directly on her for a brief second before passing on. He addressed the entire room.

"Welcome!" his voice rang out clearly through the hall. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! I'll keep this short as I'm not sure if there's an ogre invasion from all the grumbling or if that's just my tummy!" the hall rang with laughter. Alice liked this old man. "But I do have a few words I'd like to say. Petrichore! Swizel! Flubber! Twit!" Alice's brows furrowed at the strange words, but her attention was soon grabbed the appearance of food in the dishes on the table! "Thank you!" Dumbledore called out once more before retiring to his own seat where he dug into a turkey, prying off a leg.

The hall immediately set to the feast and Alice hastily dove in. There was turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, ham, what appeared to be mutton but she wasn't quite sure, goulash, soups of all kind, spinach puffs, and that was all just within reach! Alice sliced off a slab of turkey, plopped a mountain of mashed potatoes on her plate, and was digging into the spinach puffs when a dish of linguine with clam sauce was passed into view, making her mouth water even more. It was as if the cooks had raided Alice's mind for her favorite dishes.

The hall quieted a bit as everyone began eating, but once their ravenous hunger was lessened by the first dozen or so bites, the noise grew.

"So," Lee Jordan said in between his gnawing of a turkey leg. "We're second-years, which means—"

"Quidditch try-outs!" Angelina finished. "I've been practicing with my dad all summer to make the team!" she explained excitedly. Fred and George paused from flinging spoonfuls of goulash at their brother Percy to join the conversation.

"Yeah, we've been trying out our batting!" George grinned.

"Garden gnomes make excellent make-shift bludgers!" Fred added. The crowd laughed. Alice vaguely remembered Mrs. Wallace's explanation of the game quidditch, but it was more her dad's words that came back to her as the second-years talked about it. Every weird thing he had said during baseball games suddenly made sense as the group further discussed the game with her. It was unlike any sport she was familiar with, and any attempt she made at comparisons just made her more confused so she dropped it.

"We can teach you how to play, Alice! Although you can't try out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team until your second year," Alicia told her.

"Speaking of try-outs," George said and then leaned forward to shout down the table at an older boy with brown hair. "Hey! Wood! When's try-outs?" George hollered.

"Second week of school!" Oliver Wood called back.

"We better win this year! Gryffindor hasn't won the Quidditch Cup since our brother Charlie's early years here," Fred explained.

"Really? Do we suck?" Alice asked bluntly.

Alicia and Angelina looked at her in shock and shouted "No!" as the boys nodded and said "Yes." The girls then glared at them. They shrugged.

"Well, you can only blame so much on no-calls!" Fred commented.

"That'll change!" Lee Jordan said assuredly.

"How? Are you going to take Madam Hooch's job?" George teased.

"No! But I'm gonna be the announcer! And if something's not called you can bet I will make that clear for the rest of the school year!" Lee grinned proudly.

"Oh, you've already got the job then?" Alicia laughed.

"Well, no, but the spot's open and I've just got to talk to Professor McGongall, and you know she loves me," Lee explained. The others laughed.

Something her dad had said a couple years ago came back to her, and she figured if anyone would know what to make of it it would be these guys, as they appeared to be Quidditch fanatics.

"Hey, so do you guys know who the Fitchburg Finches are?" Alice asked.

"Of course! They're an American team that's won the U.S. League like seven times!" Lee Jordan explained.

"Oh, cool, my uncle used to play for them," Alice commented, taking a bite of mashed potatoes. She looked up to find the others all staring at her, their eyes wide, mouths gaping open.

"Your uncle played for the Fitchburg Finches?" Angelina's voice was barely over a whisper, she was in such shock and awe.

"Yeah, he played… Beater?" Alice said hesitantly, unsure if that was the right word. "Whatever the position is with the club," she clarified.

"Wait!" George held up a hand. "Your last names Connen right?" Alice nodded.

"You're telling us that your uncle was ALEX CONNEN?!" Fred demanded, slamming his hands on the table and standing up.

"Yeah?" Alice quirked an eyebrow.

"He was fantastic! An excellent Beater!" Fred exclaimed.

"He's one of our heroes actually," George added.

"My dad has a poster of him in his office, he used to say that if only England had Connen, their Seekers would actually have time to catch the snitch without having to avoid bludgers all the time," Angelina commented.

"Wow, okay, it's kinda creepy that you guys all know so much about him," Alice stated. "I didn't even know what sport he played before this year when someone explained Quidditch to me, and I was like, 'Oh, that's what my dad was saying every time he talked about his brother's games!'"

The others stared at her, again in shock.

"What?!" Lee erupted. "You're telling me that your uncle was THE Alex Connen, and you didn't even know what he played!?"

"I had always assumed he played baseball since he had a bat," Alice shrugged.

Lee Jordan collapsed, his head falling onto the table. Fred and George simultaneously face-palmed as Alicia and Angelina gasped and turned away, horrified expressions on their faces.

"I was raised like a Muggle, guys, come on!" Alice said defensively.

"That's no excuse!" Fred waved a finger at her. Alice rolled her eyes.

"He was on the American National Quidditch team! He played in the World Cup! After that he retired! You could've watched him in the World Cup!" Lee was bemoaning.

The group proceeded then to recount all of her uncle's greatest Quidditch moments, apparently there were a lot, which made sense since her dad was always heading off to watch his games back then. She filled them in on the more normal side of THE Alex Connen, whom she had known as Uncle Ally, x's being difficult for two year-olds to say and the name kinda stuck after that. She told them all about how her mom and dad had played too, her dad was also a Beater, and from the way her dad used to tell it, he and Alex together were unstoppable!

They had heard of her father too. He hadn't gone pro, but he did have an illustrious career when he was in school. Apparently, his tall-tales weren't that tall as they confirmed that the years in which he and Alex were both on the team, other teams were fearful to play them as their hits always seemed to count. The two were said to be able to read each other's minds and set themselves up like barriers in pinball for the bludgers to guide it towards their target. Lee Jordan rattled off their stats, he had them memorized, and apparently they were proficient at keeping the Quaffle from ever reaching their Keeper.

The food had long since vanished and a Gryffindor boy and girl stood up, as their counterparts in the other houses did the same, and called out for first-years. Alice said goodbye to the second-years and joined the flock trailing after the Gryffindor Head Boy and Girl. All the first-years left the Great Hall first, but the other houses continued down different corridors until the Gryffindors were on their own. The Head Boy and Girl led them up some flights of stairs, as some other staircases shifted position, and down another corridor before stopping before a painting of a fat lady in a pink dress. The subjects of all the paintings in Hogwarts, as Alice had already come to realize was the norm in wizarding pictures, seemed to be alive. The lady in the picture was singing, horribly off-tune, before the Head Boy and Girl interrupted her. She glared at them, perturbed at being disturbed.

"Password?" she asked petulantly.

"Hogwash," the Head Boy told the fat lady.

The portrait swung open, revealing a hole in the wall. The Head Girl explained to the first-years that they could only get into the Common Room by giving the password to the Fat Lady. Alice blessed her spectacular memory and immediately filed 'Hogwash' away into a mental cabinet. The first-years clambered through the portrait hole, emerging in a cozy, high-ceilinged room where everything was red and gold and dark wood. Alice suspected the colors would get old after a while. Maybe some bright green, or light blue to brighten it up a bit. A fire crackled in the fireplace and there were tons of comfy looking seats everywhere. A chessboard was over to the side, what looked to be a study corner was off near a window, and couches and tables and chairs were spread throughout the rest of the room. There were also a ton of pillows—Alice foresaw a lot of pillow wars (fight was too tame a descriptor) in the future.

"Girls dormitories are up the right stairs, boys the left!" The Head Girl told them all.

Alice followed the other girls up to their dormitory to get unpacked. Alice wondered what she would be unpacking before she got into the room to find her suitcase and Tilly at the foot of a bed. After first greeting the owl, Alice got to unpacking, stuffing her clothes into the wardrobe without much order. She knew that when finals came around, this wardrobe would be organized by color and sleeve-length to procrastinate actually studying.

The girls briefly introduced themselves but noise started drifting up from the common room, so the girls all went downstairs to join the other students. Alice found the Weasleys, Lee Jordan, Angelina, and Alicia easily. They immediately caught her up on the subject: the caretaker Filch and how to outsmart him. Alice briefly wondered if she should take notes, as this was a subject she would need.

The Common Room was busy for a few more hours before everyone started to drift up to bed. Alice and the second-years were some of the last ones downstairs before their yawns began interrupting the punch-lines of their jokes. Everyone bid each other goodnight and Alice followed the other girls upstairs before heading to their separate dormitories.

Alice entered the first-year girls' dormitory to find everyone fast asleep. Alice changed in the dark, knocking into everything within two feet of her, and making enough noise to wake the dead but not apparently the four other first-year girls. She opened the window by her bed, set Tilly's cage on the sill and opened his cage before climbing into bed.

She felt so awake, that she just knew she wouldn't be able to get sleep. But as soon as her head hit the pillow, her eyelids dragged down, and she fell into deep sleep, simply proving that she was never meant for Ravenclaw. That night she had a dream that she and Jason were cheering on her father and her uncle at the Quidditch World Cup as they knocked vicious bludgers at their old, obnoxious Italian neighbors making up the other team.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>Sorry this one took so much longer than the previous updates, I had a test today and have another one tomorrow... which I should've studied more for instead of writing this... oh well! I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you to everyone reading and please leave reviews!


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter

* * *

><p>Other voices woke her up. They weren't the deep voice of her brother and the kindly voice of Mrs. Wallace or even the bark of Mr. Wallace and the squeakier version Preston employed. They were high-pitched and shrill voices. The voices of little girls.<p>

Alice groaned and her arms convulsed around her pillow as a final goodbye to her beloved sleep. Her head shot up and she glanced over, bleary-eyed, at her new nemeses who were apparently all morning people.

"Oh, you're up!" one of the girls smiled. She hopped onto the foot of Alice's bed and sat cross-legged, staring and smiling at Alice expectantly. Alice cast her a confused expression.

"I never got to introduce myself at the Banquet last night. I'm Emily!" she smiled cheerily. Emily had big, bright, blue eyes and curly, strawberry-blonde hair. She wore a pink, flowery nightgown and pink slippers. Alice felt nauseous.

"I'm Alice," she grumbled and sat up in bed.

"I noticed you were talking with a boy who got put into Ravenclaw. Are you two related?" she asked, still with that obnoxious smile.

"Yeah, he's my twin." Alice grumbled again, rubbing her eyes. This was going to be a long year.

"I thought so!" Emily exclaimed triumphantly. "You two look so much alike! Are you identical?"

"We can't be identical you mor—" Alice stopped herself before she said something she would regret. Well, she wouldn't regret saying it, but she would regret hurting this girl's feelings, she was so naive, like a little puppy. "Man," Alice thought, "this self-control thing is tough!"

"No, we're fraternal." Alice replied, forcing her voice to remain calm.

"Oh," Emily said, not sounding the least disappointed. "It must be wonderful having a twin! What's it like?" She asked eagerly, leaning forward. Alice drew back a little.

"It's... okay, I guess. I mean, it's not so great when he shows me up in everything he does. He's a genius," Alice remarked.

"Oh," Emily nodded in understanding.

"And it gets annoying when people see you as part of a pair, not individual people," Alice said, more to herself than to the eleven-year-old girl sitting on her bed. Emily, realizing that this may not be Alice's ideal topic to discuss, decided to change the subject.

"So, are you hungry for breakfast yet? We better get dressed and get down there before all the good food gets eaten."

Emily smiled exuberantly and slipped off Alice's bed. Alice hadn't really been wanting to spend her breakfast with this cheery child but she didn't have anyone else to eat with so she got out of bed and began dressing.

Emily talked incessantly all the way down to the Great Hall, and didn't let the delicious breakfast staunch the flow of conversation. Alice couldn't figure out how Emily's food was disappearing because she couldn't remember ever hearing a moment of silence for the girl to chew. About halfway through breakfast another girl came and sat down on Alice's other side. She was a first year, like Alice, and Alice remembered seeing her during the sorting, but she couldn't recall the girl's name. The girl didn't talk to anyone and ate her breakfast quietly and then glanced around as if lost when she was done.

Emily scampered off to the bathroom and Alice was left in silence, not counting the cacophony of kids around her. Alice felt a little awkward and hoped Emily would get back quickly so that Alice wouldn't have to be "friendly" and talk to this girl, but her wish didn't seem to be coming true. Finally, after several minutes of uncomfortable silence, Alice turned and introduced herself.

"Hey, I'm Alice," She said, somewhat awkwardly.

"I'm Liz," the girl replied. Another moment of awkward silence passed between them.

"So, were you Muggle-born or did you know you were a witch?" Alice asked.

"I knew, both my parents were wizards so I grew up around magic. What about you?" Liz asked.

"Mine's a bit more complicated. I was raised as a Muggle but all my family was magical," Alice replied. Liz gave her an inquisitive look. "My mom disappeared when I was really young, and my dad kind of quit on magic, I guess. He wanted to give me and my brother a normal life, but he died when I was nine so we lived with our aunt who kept us in the dark. Then we got put into this exchange program that placed us with a foster family in England where we were still completely confused until our letter came." Alice explained.

"That's... kind of strange." Liz commented, smiling.

"Yeah," Alice sighed. Luckily, Emily returned before any more awkward silence could occur. Liz had finished her breakfast by now so she quietly got up and left. Alice quickly wondered why she had wanted Emily back, with her incessant talking, but was glad to not have to initiate the conversation.

"So, we have Herbology in a few hours! I hear it's really fascinating, although," Emily paused and laughed, "Everyone says it's so easy that it gets boring after a while!" Alice nodded, pretending she knew what was going on when really she had no clue they even had classes today. Weren't they supposed to be given a schedule or something?

Her thought was answered as Professor McGongall placed a sheet of paper in front of her, going down the table handing out schedules according to class. Alice peered at her schedule and found that Emily was in fact correct and that they had Herbology at nine-thirty.

"Good Lord! How early is it if we still have a few hours?" Alice thought, stricken. She hastily looked to her watch but found that it had stopped working, judging by the time stuck on it, around the time the train had pulled into the Hogsmeade station.

"What time is it?" Alice demanded of Emily, leaning forward over the table.

Emily glanced over above the door to the Great Hall. Alice followed her gaze to see a big clock hanging on the wall.

"Seven-fifteen!" Emily replied with a smile.

Alice gasped and remained breathless for a few moments. Were they trying to kill her, waking her up so early? Good Lord, the sun probably wasn't even up yet (not that Alice knew, for she was never up in time to see the sunrise, she assumed that the sun had a reasonable schedule and thus didn't rise until like, nine… eight-thirty at the earliest)! Emily looked at her with concern and reached out across the table for Alice's arm that was resting beside her plate.

"Oh, goodness! Alice, are you okay?" she asked, her brows drawn in worry.

Alice managed to take a deep breath and blew it out slowly. She raised a hand to show that she was fine and Emily relaxed back onto the bench.

"I'm good, I'm good," Alice repeated as if to convince herself.

Suddenly, she quickly glanced around the Great Hall, peering over to the Ravenclaw table searching for her brother. She couldn't find the back of his head, which was distinct to her with its brown wavy hair, which he always fussed about because it curled at the ends, but everyone always said it was cute and that Alice should cut her hair short to get it to curl (Alice was having none of that). Even her brother wasn't up yet!

Alice felt convinced that this school would be the death of her: by exhaustion! If she wanted to get her minimum eight hours of sleep she'd have to go to bed at like ten! She doubted that would ever happen, especially if she repeated the last two nights and stayed up late with Fred, George, Alicia, Angelina, and Lee.

Alice turned back to finish her breakfast, her mood dampened, but upon trying the custard they brightened back up a bit. Emily startled rambling on about something or other and Alice listened vaguely while finishing breakfast.

"Hey! Do you wanna explore around the castle before classes start? To figure out where everything is," Emily offered upon the completion of their breakfast.

Alice's face brightened mischievously. The two girls rose from their seats at the long table and exited the Great Hall, finally noticing the four giant hourglasses with gemstones matching the colors of the four houses. It was explained to them, by a third-year Emily stopped, that the hourglasses kept track of the house points. Alice was a bit disappointed to notice that Gryffindor had the least amount of gemstones in the bottom part.

"Exploration" to Alice meant finding every secret passageway and hiding place that could provide cover when playing pranks. This clearly was not Emily's definition of the word as they located all of the rooms their classes would be in and figured out the best paths to take based on their schedule.

This took some time as the girls came to learn that there were one hundred and forty-two staircases in Hogwarts, all of various design and length, and that they tended to move around. The entire castle was just as tricky with doors that weren't really doors, or only opened if you asked nicely (Alice had difficulty with this door, almost getting into an argument with a door handle had Emily not stepped in); and some staircases with trick steps that looked like they were there, but it was actually just air, and you had to remember to jump it (easier said than done going up); and the subjects of portraits couldn't even be used as markers because they moved around too, visiting other paintings so that nothing was ever where you thought it should be!

By the time they finished this, they only had twenty minutes to get outside and to the greenhouse where their Herbology class was. Emily and Alice found their way outside, but they were on the opposite end of the castle and so they crossed the lawns, making their way over to the greenhouses. They noticed a hut further down the grounds near a forest. Alice assumed the hut was that of the groundskeeper, Hagrid, but the forest was a mystery to her.

"Hey, what's that forest over there? Do we have anything in there?" she asked Emily.

Emily looked over to where Alice was referring and her eyes momentarily widened in surprise and a bit of fear.

"That's the Forbidden Forest!" she said in a hushed tone.

"I wonder why it's called that," Alice muttered sarcastically.

"Don't you remember Dumbledore's speech about it?" Emily asked.

"What?" Alice was genuinely confused. She had no idea what Emily was talking about.

"Dumbledore gave a big speech about what places were out of bounds and other rules," Emily explained, honestly surprised that Alice didn't remember that.

Alice shrugged and assumed a thoughtful expression. She had absolutely no memory of this speech on rules and boundaries, not that that was atypical.

"I must've blocked it out," she stated simply. Emily gasped at her. "Yeah, so you wanna check it out later?" Alice asked Emily.

Emily's eyebrows shot to her hairline, her jaw slackening as she stared at Alice, eyes wide.

"Did you not hear what I said?" Emily asked.

"About what?" Alice responded absentmindedly.

"About it being forbidden!" Emily exclaimed. They stared at each other for a moment in silence.

"Yeah, so you wanna go check it out later?" Alice repeated.

Emily stared at her in shock but eventually laughed it off as they neared the greenhouses. They joined the steady stream of their fellow Gryffindor first-years towards Greenhouse 1 where they were ushered in by a portly woman with flyaway gray hair. Alice assumed this would be their Herbology professor as she was covered in dirt, with twigs and leaves in her hair, a hat on her head, earthy fingernails, and an apron over her clothes that didn't seem to be working very well. When she introduced herself as Professor Sprout, Alice really shouldn't have been surprised.

"Good morning! Welcome to Herbology! We will be having all classes this year here, in Greenhouse 1. A lot of your work in here will be hands on! Although you won't be dealing with very dangerous plants this year—" Alice sighed and looked down at her feet as she kicked slightly at a patch of grass. "There will be lectures on them, of which you may have assignments for homework or essays." Alice's eyes widened, her brows furrowing in disappointment. "Now let's get started!"

Professor Sprout seemed nice enough in her introduction, but as their work in pruning bushes that Alice had already forgotten the name of, Sprout revealed her true nurturing nature. A Hufflepuff boy next to Alice hacked off a good chunk of the bush he was tending, and held it in his hand, glancing between it and Professor Sprout in horror. But rather than berate the boy for hacking mindlessly at the delicate plant and wasting all the flowers on that branch which would die before fully maturing and being able to be used in potions, Sprout kindly reassured him. She explained to the class the important uses of the flowers of the bush, but assured the boy that they were not particularly rare plants and that his butchering one bush would not be detrimental to the school's supply of the flowers. She did encourage him to be a bit more cautious with his clipping, less was more. Alice turned back to Emily.

"Wow, she's really sweet, although, I hope that wasn't just her showing favoritism," Emily remarked to Alice.

"What do you mean?" Alice asked, not taking her eyes from her work.

"Sprout's the Head of Hufflepuff House. So either she shows favoritism to those in her own house, or," Emily paused and then laughed slightly. "I don't want to see her reaction to anyone from another house!"

Alice grinned, but for the rest of the class she remained focused on her work to prevent any mistakes for fear that Emily's jest would turn out true. Alice was not going to be the one berated for clipping off an inch too much of some stupid bush. Alice would later learn that Professor Sprout was indeed that kind and encouraging to everyone, but for now Alice was certain not to get on any teacher's bad side. At least not yet.

After Herbology, the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs parted ways, the Hufflepuffs going who knew where while the Gryffindors made their way to what was to be the dullest class Alice had ever suffered in her life: History of Magic. One would think that learning about such interesting figures as Emric the Evil and Uric the Oddball, the latter having at one point worn a jellyfish on his head, would be mildly interesting, at least more so than learning about Muggle history. Add to that the fact that the class was taught by a ghost! How cool was that?

Apparently not cool at all. Alice realized that she really shouldn't have, but she had thought that her professor would have been a bit more… lively. Professor Binns simply droned on the entire class period, sounding just as bored about the subject as the students all were.

After History of Magic was Alice's favorite subject: Lunch.

"Ugh! Finally! I swear my stomach was making whale calls in there!" Alice sighed as they sat down for lunch. She began piling food onto her plate as other students filed in.

"I know! And if I'd take a guess as to how he got into his current state, I'd say Binns bored himself to death!" Emily commented.

Alice looked up at her in surprise. That was the first time Emily had made a joke that was funny and insulting of another person. Emily took note of her new friend's silence, but more so the fact that Alice wasn't touching her food, her hand holding her fork, which had held macaroni and cheese on it a moment ago, suspended in the air between the plate and her mouth, staring at Emily.

"What?" Emily asked, beginning to get self-conscious.

"Nothing, that was just… funny," Alice shrugged and went back to eating.

Maybe this Emily girl wasn't so bad after all.

After lunch the Gryffindors set off to Charms. As Alice found a seat, she noticed Professor Flitwick at the front of the class. He saw her and waved. Alice returned it with a slight smile. Alice had been a bit rude to him when he had come to deliver the twins' letters and explain to them their magical abilities, and she supposed she should try and make up for that. He was a kind man… or dwarf… she wasn't sure if he was just short or had some kind of magical creature heritage so she decided not to label him.

Emily was the first to notice that this class wasn't just Gryffindors, and she nudged Alice as a Slytherin girl passed by their table. Alice had been told by several older Gryffindors, most loudly by the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan, that the Slytherins were their enemies. They used countless tales of fights and fouls in Quidditch games, as well as the general rivalry for the House Cup, which for no explainable reason wasn't as heated with the Ravenclaws or Hufflepuffs. Alice wanted to decide for herself if the Slytherins were terrible or not.

Not two minutes into class, Alice had made up her mind.

When Professor Flitwick waddled up to his platform, Alice overheard a Slytherin girl whisper to the boy seated next to her, "Pathetic. I know why he's teaching Charms, 'cause he can't reach anything without a spell," the Slytherins tried to stifle their laughs.

Alice's eyes narrowed to slits, her eyebrows drawn down into a 'V' as she tore a piece off her parchment. She balled it up and chucked it at the back of the Slytherin girl's head. She was satisfied when it struck its mark and bounced off. The Slytherin girl startled and glared back at Alice. Emily, who had watched the entire thing in stunned silence, quickly looked away innocently. Alice, on the other hand, met the Slytherin girl's and boy's glares head on, stuffing so much venom in her own glare at them that they turned away first. Alice smirked over at Emily. Gryffindor: 1, Slytherin jerks: 0.

Professor Flitwick proved himself a great teacher. He was clever, and interesting, and funny; not that that kept the Slytherins from finding faults. This caused Alice to police the class, hurling paper balls at anyone that said even the slightest insulting thing about Flitwick. Professor Flitwick merely ignored the paper balls that were flying across the room, knowing full well the person and reasoning behind them.

Alice felt very proud of herself for sticking up for Professor Flitwick. She knew she made a lot of enemies among the Slytherins that day. This fact made her feel even prouder.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>Sorry this one took a bit longer. I kinda got carried away figuring out her schedule. Also, I know the Slytherin girl's insult was pretty lame, unless I'm insulting someone's intelligence or character I got nothing. Thank you to everyone reading and please leave more reviews! I love getting feedback :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter

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><p>Alice had had a sit down with Emily about the ridiculous hour at which Emily had woken her up that morning. Emily promised not to wake Alice that early the next morning, but she grew a little anxious as Alice seemed ready to sleep through breakfast. Finally Alice was woken, not be Emily, but by Tilly who entered in through the window and gave a loud hoot to Alice around eight in the morning. Alice swore into the pillow.<p>

"Alice?" Emily called out hushed, having heard a mumble from Alice's bed.

"I'm awake!" Alice grumbled, not moving in the bed. After a few moments of arguing with herself to see if she could squeeze out a few more hours of sleep in just thirty minutes, Alice let out a groan and sat up in bed, swinging her legs over the edge. The stone floor was cold on her bare feet, but she propelled herself up off the bed before any thoughts of returning to it could surface.

Alice was ready quickly, pulling her robes on over her head and running her fingers through her hair to try to tame it a bit. Emily set aside the book she had been reading and joined her friend to head down to the Great Hall. Alice proceeded down the marble steps like a zombie, the majority of her responses were grunts and moans, and she shuffled her feet and ran into a few things whilst rubbing her eyes of the remaining sleep.

The girls sat down next to Katie Bell and her friend Leanne, and Emily chattered away happily as Alice shoveled food into her mouth. Alice finished quickly and glanced at the clock. They still had twenty minutes until Herbology. The fact that they had Herbology three times a week was very irksome to Alice and she determined to speak to someone about this.

"Emily, what classes do we have today?" Alice snapped her fingers at Emily to get her attention.

Emily stopped mid-sentence and fished her schedule out of her robes. She hummed merrily to herself as she unfolded the parchment and perused it, searching for Tuesday's schedule.

"We have Herbology, then Transfiguration right after that," Emily began.

"That's with McGonagall, it's supposed to be really hard, but maybe she favors her house," Katie Bell interjected hopefully.

The girls glanced up at the staff table, where Professor McGonagall had on an annoyed expression as a woman with thick, round glasses that made her eyes bug out and dressed in draping shawls prattled on to her.

"I wouldn't bet on that," Alice stated.

"Then we have lunch, and after that Defense against the Dark Arts," Emily finished their schedule for the day. Alice's eyes glinted excitedly at that.

"Defense against the Dark Arts?" she asked, Emily nodded. "Sounds promising. Who's the professor?"

"Professor Triggs, he's kind of a nutter," Fred Weasley answered as the twins approached Alice.

"Yeah, goes on 'bout all these conspiracies! But you'll see for yourself," George added as the twins synchronously slid onto the bench on either side of Alice.

"Hi, Fred Weasley! The ugly one's George," Fred introduced himself to the other girls. George reached around Alice to slap Fred upside the head. "Ow!"

Fred glared back at George and the two almost got into a tussle around Alice but she grabbed an arm of each twin and dragged them back down onto the bench as they had started to stand. This brought them back to what they had come over for in the first place.

"By the way, Quidditch try-outs are this afternoon, and though we know you can't try-out 'cause you're a first-year," Fred began.

"We'd like you to come and cheer us on! Angelina and Alicia are trying out too, and Lee will be there too, probably just to try his hand at commentating though," George finished.

"Sure! Maybe Lee can give me a full run-through of the rules and everything there to get me ready for when the season starts," Alice agreed. The twins winced at the latter.

"If you want, but we'd be terrible friends if we didn't warn you," George hedged.

"Lee will rant 'till he's blue in the face, I'd advise not sitting next to him," Fred blurted.

"Well, see ya there, Connen!" George said, clapping Alice on the back as the twins got up from the table to head to their first class.

Alice and her fellow first-years had to head out to Herbology around this time too. This class was just as boring as the last one with Professor Sprout lecturing about dangerous plants, but until Alice saw some dangerous plants, she wasn't interested. Afterwards the Gryffindors parted from the Hufflepuffs and headed to Transfiguration.

Unfortunately, Alice and Emily got a little lost at a door they thought was a door but was really just the wall pretending. They were there for three minutes trying to pry the door open when an upper classman kindly them it wasn't a real door and pointed them in the right direction. Despite the aid of the student, Alice and Emily arrived to class two minutes late.

They tried to sneak in and grab a seat in the back without anyone noticing, but upon opening the door, it let out such a god-awful screech that they cringed. As the door squeaked open they revealed themselves to the entire class that was staring back at them. Professor McGonagall, at the front of the class, looked stern. Alice and Emily made themselves smaller, preparing for the worst.

"Glad to see you found the place, come take a seat, there are some open ones up front," Professor McGonagall said calmly.

Alice and Emily glanced at each other in shock. McGongall appeared a stern woman, not lenient in anything let alone tardiness, yet she was being kind and understanding. Emily shrugged and the girls walked up to the empty table McGonagall indicated.

As it turned out, they weren't the only ones that had gotten lost and a few more students trickled in several minutes after them. Once everyone was present, McGonagall addressed the class.

"I'm lenient on the first day as the castle can be confusing, and finding one's way can prove difficult for first-years. However, this leniency will not be extended beyond today as I expect upon finding this classroom, you will be able to do so again, on time," McGonagall raised her eyebrows and swept the room with her stern gaze.

Alice counted herself lucky.

"Now, with that being said, Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

The class collectively gulped.

Unlike other classes, where the professors just spent the first day introducing the students to the subject with simple concepts or light work, McGonagall started right off the bat. They were each given a match and instructed to turn it into a needle.

McGonagall went around the class to give instruction and point students in the right direction. Emily was staring intently at her match, her eyebrows drawn in concentration, her wand pointed at the match on the table, muttering the words McGonagall had taught them over and over again. Alice had her head in her hands, staring willfully at the match as if her thinking it would turn the match into a needle. McGonagall came to stand by their table.

"Miss Connen, you cannot expect to turn the match into a needle without using your wand and repeating the incantation," McGonagall stated. Alice glanced up, not taking her head from her hands.

"Well, I tried that and nothing was happening," Alice replied.

"So you gave up?" McGonagall asked, an eyebrow shooting to her hairline.

"No," Alice retorted, straightening up and dropping her hands to the table. "I just decided to take a different approach."

"Your efforts are commendable, Miss Connen, but nonverbal magic is far more complicated than this spell. I would recommend you use your wand and speak the incantation," McGonagall tried to keep her lip from twitching.

By the end of the class no one had many any change to their match. McGonagall tried to reassure them, telling them no one in any of her other classes had made a change either, except for one student.

"Let me guess," Alice muttered.

"It was actually, your brother Miss Connen, young Mr. Jason. He managed to make his match pointy and partly silver," McGonagall explained. Alice threw up her hands and dropped her head onto the table.

Luckily, lunch was after that. Emily managed to brighten Alice's spirits when she tried to toss a roll at her for a snide comment, but missed and hit a kid sitting at the table behind them. The girl's jaws dropped and Alice desperately tried to smother her laughter as the student turned around looking for who had thrown the roll. Emily tried to duck under the table, her face as red as the strawberries in the dish in front of her.

After lunch, the girls trailed after the other Gryffindors heading for Defense against the dark arts. They made sure to keep the other first-years in sight so as to avoid a repeat of getting lost and being late for class. They doubted their luck would hold out for two teachers to be merciful. This classroom wasn't as difficult to find, being located on the second floor (which for some reason everyone kept calling the first floor).

Alice excitedly dragged Emily to the front of the class where she pulled her to a table in the second row, after having decided that the front row could prove dangerous, thus the second row was close enough that she wouldn't miss anything interesting but further back so as not to be on the front lines in case anything went wrong. Emily didn't seem as excited about the prospect of combative spells and dangerous creatures and much would've preferred sitting further towards the back, but Alice didn't give her any choice in the matter. They had arrived a few minutes early, so Alice was forced to wait a few more moments as more students filtered in.

It was time for class to start, but there was no sign of the teacher. Alice began to grow nervous, hoping this of all classes wouldn't be cancelled. She bit at her lip and kept glancing over at Emily who just shrugged, she didn't know where the professor was any more than Alice did.

"Ugh! Where's the Professor? When the professor's late you know something's off!" a voice called out from amidst the students. They all turned to look to notice a man in the fourth row leaning back in his chair, his feet propped up on the table. Upon receiving so many stares, the man held his hands up. "Why're you all looking at me?" he asked. Students glanced at each other, raising eyebrows and giving each other faces. So, the rumors were true, this guy was nutters. Suddenly the man's chair dropped back onto four legs. "Oh right! Of course! So sorry!" he grinned, leaping to his feet, and then upon the table, where he addressed the class.

"Hello! I'm Alvar Triggs and I'll be teaching you this year how to defend yourselves against dark magics!" he declared, his voice carrying clearly throughout the room.

Alice had to twist in her seat to see the professor. He stood atop the table as if on a stage, with a presence that filled the whole room. He had reddish-brown, shoulder-length hair tied back in a ponytail, with his wand tucked behind an ear. He had a long, but not unpleasant face with bright gray eyes, containing an almost mad gleam in them. He bore a faint scar under his left eye, a small one on his chin, and an old burn on his right forearm. He wore a white shirt, the sleeves rolled up past his elbows, with a purple striped waistcoat and a long, worn brown jacket over it. Black pants and boots finished off his outfit. He didn't really seem to fit the 'magic professor' image that his coworkers kept up. He was also full of energy.

"Now! Some of you may have heard rumors," Triggs hopped down from the table and seemed to bounce up to the front of the room. "That I am quite mad!" He scanned the room, seeing some eyes avoid his own, while others stared dumbly. "And I probably will do nothing to disabuse anyone of these notions, quite the opposite I expect! But that doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about! I, myself, have fought those subject to the Dark Arts on many occasions, and I can tell you that it's terrifying!"

Alice wasn't sure if Triggs was trying to scare them or encourage them as he had a huge grin on his face despite his words. Alice was already starting to like this teacher.

"Those wielding dark magic are often very talented, very strong, and very resilient. They also have little to no compunction about the spells they use, giving them a much larger arsenal for combative magic. However, with access to such awe-inspiring magic, they underestimate all other forms of magic. And this can often prove a great weakness! I don't know how many times I've defeated a powerful dark witch or wizard with a relatively simple spell that they just weren't prepared for! That's why I will try to teach you all this semester how to think outside the box! Never underestimate "simple" magic, as it may well save your life!"

Triggs never once stopped moving as he gave his speech, pacing at the front of the room, then leaping off to a side of the room and weaving between the tables. He was very animated and Alice toyed with the idea of what happened if he stayed still for just a moment. She wondered if he'd simply explode from contained energy or just power down having lost his momentum.

"There is a well-known example of so-called 'simple' magic defending against the most powerful of dark wizards," Triggs suddenly became very serious, as did the rest of the class. Alice figured everyone knew something she didn't. "For those of you raised in the Muggle world, there was once a very powerful, very evil wizard. He was so feared that even now we do not speak his name! He is simply known as He Who Must Not Be Named, but his name, and this will likely be the only time I speak his name aloud, was Voldemort." A gasp issued from the students from magical families. Alice pursed her lips, confused as to why everyone seemed so frightened, it was just a name.

"Now, the Dark Lord assembled a large gathering of loyal followers, called Death Eaters, and with his followers, wanted to enslave and eventually rid the world of those he deemed impure. This mainly consisted of Muggles and Muggle-born witches and wizards, but also included what he considered lesser races like house elves. Now, many a witch and wizard stood up against the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters, but the Dark Lord seemed to be growing in power and was nearly impossible to harm. All attempts to destroy him proved futile, that is until one Halloween night.

"Now, no one is entirely sure why he sought after a young boy named Harry Potter, some believe he heard a prophecy about this boy, telling how he was to be a powerful wizard rivaling the Dark Lord. Regardless of the true reason, the Dark Lord went after this young boy, seeking to eliminate this boy before he could ever become a threat. However, when the Dark Lord tried to kill the boy, he himself was destroyed. Every child raised in the magical world knows this story of the Boy Who Lived. But few know why he survived the killing curse which is impossible to survive. I have studied this subject in great detail and have found that the Dark Lord was defeated by his own killing curse," Triggs paused here as whispers shot up amongst the students. He waited until they quieted to continue.

"Now, Harry Potter's mother died to protect her young son. This sacrifice, I believe as do others, formed a magical barrier around her son, whom she died for, a love shield. This simple, but powerful magic formed from the sacrificial love of a mother, protected her son from any harm, so that when the Dark Lord cast a killing curse on the boy, it was rebounded by the love shield back onto him." Triggs finished, bent over his desk, staring intently at his students. He quickly straightened up and floated back around to the front of his desk.

The classroom was silent. Alice was in awe, having never heard this story before. It was sad certainly, but it seemed so incredible to her, a real story of good and evil! The rest of the class began to murmur to each other. They had heard the tale of the Boy Who Lived their entire lives, but Triggs presented some new insights to the story that they had never even considered before.

"Now, I for one am not so entirely sure that the Dark Lord was once and for all destroyed that night. After all, I had seen many a witch or wizard hurl powerful spells at him which barely harmed him. There were even tales of him being killed before but he always returned. I think that he figured out some way to survive, and that he's still out there, somewhere. Probably gathering his strength," Triggs had a contemplative expression on his face and his voice faded a bit with the last line. At this some students scoffed, seeing this thought as some ridiculous conspiracy theory. Triggs resumed his energy though and continued.

"But that's not why I told this tale! I told this story for two reason. One: to make sure we are all on the same page as to why this subject is so important, as there are those out there who will seek power through the Dark Arts. And two: because it is an example of seemingly simple magic, a love shield, defeating the most powerful dark wizard we have seen in our day and age. The Dark Lord fell to this simple spell because he underestimated its power. He had supreme power of the Dark Arts, why would he ever give thought to the power of love?" Triggs studied the faces of his students, letting his last question sink in a bit.

"This is the principal weakness of those who practice the Dark Arts. This year, some of you may consider what we do here to be simple and maybe even pointless. Don't get me wrong, I will present to you some challenges, but never fall to the same weakness of the Dark Lord, never underestimate the power of simplicity and emotion. That's all the time we have for today, I'll see you all next week."

Alice felt as if she was jolted from a dream as the room filled with the sounds of students gathering up their things and heading out. Alice and Emily got caught up in the tide exiting the classroom. She could overhear the other students talking about the class.

"That guy's a nutter! Does he really believe that crazy theory of the Dark Lord still being alive?" a boy scoffed.

"I for one, hope you're right Thomas, and not him," Leanne replied.

The boy, whose name was apparently Thomas, muttered something, but didn't seem as confident as his words had presented him.

* * *

><p>Alice had managed to convince Emily to come down to watch Quidditch try-outs with her. Katie Bell tagged along too as she planned on trying out next year and wanted to see how it went. The three girls climbed the ridiculous amount of stairs up the stands to the seats and found Lee Jordan in the front row. Ignoring the Weasley twins' advice, Alice sat down next to Lee as Emily sat next to her, Katie next to Emily.<p>

Lee pointed out to their friends on the pitch below, though the Weasley twins weren't exactly hard to notice with their flaming red hair standing out against the green of the Quidditch pitch. There was a pretty large group of students trying out this year as there were many open spots this year. Both Beater positions were open, which the twins were hoping to fill.

"That's the captain, Oliver Wood, he's a fourth year and plays Keeper, and a bloody good one at that, he's just gonna get better though," Lee explained, pointing out the brown-haired youth giving a speech to the kids on the pitch. "That's Charlie Weasley, Fred and George's older brother, he was captain last year, and I don't know why he turned it over to Wood this year. He plays Seeker, and he's a brilliant! This is his last year, but when he graduates he could play for England!"

Angelina happened to look up towards Lee and Alice and noticed them. Lee and Alice frantically waved. Angelina waved back and nudged the others who turned and returned the waves, the twins rather exaggeratedly. Alice burst into laughter as Oliver turned to look directly at the twins while they were in the middle of leaping up and down and waving both hands over their heads. He called something to them, causing them to stop mid-jump and quickly assume innocent poses and expressions. Lee and Alice were doubled over as the twins were chewed out by the young captain.

Luckily, the twins were excellent Beaters and proved it during their try-outs, so Wood couldn't really hold their previous lack of attention against them. Lee explained in detail every action during the try-out games, explaining to Alice all the rules and where people went wrong or exhibited unique skill. Alice started to notice that Lee held a torch for Angelina as he could do nothing but praise every move she made.

When it ended, the group made their way down to reunite with their friends outside the pitch. The twins had made it as the team's Beaters, Angelina got a Chaser spot, and Alicia was on the reserve team. Katie asked Angelina and Alicia all about tips and techniques and the three were soon deep in conversation.

"This is an excellent team! I think this may be our year! We may actually win the Quidditch Cup this year!" Lee babbled excitedly.

The group headed to the trophy room where the second-years showed off past trophies. Alice noticed that there weren't many recent Gryffindor Quidditch Cups. The second-years explained to her that the last Gryffindor championship was several years ago, in Charlie's early years of playing for the team. He was supposedly good enough to play for England after he graduated this year, but he was already talking about going off to work with dragons. Alice silently agreed with Charlie, dragons seemed much more exciting than playing a silly game. Not that she would admit this to this lot. They would probably string her up by her ears not letting her down until she declared Quidditch the best sport in the world, which anyone sane would gladly choose as a lifestyle.

Alice wandered over to an older trophy case which exhibited another Gryffindor win, this one from the seventies. Reading the list of names of those on the winning team, Alice did a double take.

Chasers: James Potter, Willamena Ackers, Ralph Curtis

_Willamena Ackers._

That was her mother's maiden name.

Emily came up behind Alice and immediately grew concerned. Alice stood, eyes wide, staring blankly at the trophy case, her breath stuck in her chest.

"Alice? You alright?" Emily asked gently. Alice took a deep breath and turned back to her friend. She gave her a shaky smile. Just then the others came up behind them.

"What'd you find Alice?" Fred asked, curiously inspecting the trophy case.

Alice pointed at the list of names, but she was staring at the picture where she easily identified her mother smiling next to a boy with messy black hair and glasses. As the subjects moved, her mother lifted a hand and ruffled the boy's hair, making it stick up every which way, and laughed as he grinned trying to tame it.

"That's my mom, Willamena Ackers, that was my mom's maiden name," Alice said a bit breathlessly.

"Woah! Your mom was on the 1973 team? Wicked!" Lee exclaimed.

"I didn't even know she went here," Alice grinned weakly.

"Well, that explains why you're here then," Angelina said. Alice turned to her.

"What?"

"Hogwarts letters are sent out to a select number of young witches and wizards whose name appears, at the time of their birth, in a great book. It's only for magical kids in the area though, so your mum must've been born here and gone here. That's how your names got in the book, 'cause your mum went here," Angelina explained.

Alice had wondered why they were sent to a school in the UK when she had learned that there were plenty of magical schools in America. Her father had gone to school in America, but he had told her and Jason that their mother didn't go to his school. Their families were old friends and they had practically grown up together even though Willamena, she went by Nax from her middle name, lived and went to school overseas. Apparently Hogwarts put a lot of stock in alumni if her and Jason's names, though they were born in the U.S., appeared in this book because of their mother.

"Wow! Your mum was a Chaser on the winning 1973 team, your dad was unstoppable in the states, and your uncle was THE Alex Connen! I can't wait 'til you learn to fly!" Lee Jordan rambled excitedly.

"Yeah! You're probably a natural! It's in your blood!" Alicia agreed.

"Hehe, yeah, probably," Alice laughed awkwardly. Maybe now wasn't the best time to tell them she was afraid of flying.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes<strong>: Ahh, finally beginning to further unravel the mystery that is Alice's family. Apologies if you notice any inconsistencies with quidditch team members, I thought, like four chapters ago, that Charlie graduated the year before Alice arrived, then today saw that he graduated the year Alice arrived, but was only on the team for the first game? I'm still confused about Charlie Weasley. Oh well! And in the movies it says that James was a Seeker, but in an interview JKR said that he was a Chaser, so I'm going with JK. Thank you to everyone reading! And please leave reviews!


	8. Chapter 8

"Ugh! This is ridiculous! It doesn't work!" Alice fumed.

The conflagration on the table was quickly stifled as Jason dropped a heavy, leather-bound book on top of it, effectively smothering it. It was well past midnight, the twins having teamed up after Astronomy, initially working on their Transfiguration homework. Having finished that, Alice then turned to working on the problem from class: turning a matchstick into a needle. So far, all she had accomplished was exploding a handful of matchsticks.

"Yes, it does, you're just not doing it right," Jason stated, a hint of irritation in his voice.

"Well, I'm sorry Great and Powerful Jason who just knows everything! How the bloody hell is it supposed to be done?" Alice flared.

The few people nearby in the library started at the girl's outburst. Jason simply stared at her with the same tired, annoyed expression he had been for the past hour.

"You get frustrated too easily, this stuff takes patience," he explained.

Alice shot daggers at him. Jason rolled his eyes and pulled out a new matchstick from the box on the table. Lifting his wand, he pointed at the matchstick and repeated the words and movements Professor McGonagall had taught last class. After the third repetition, the matchstick in Jason's hand went all shiny and the tip formed into a point. By the fifth and final repetition, the matchstick was now wholly a needle. Jason handed it to Alice to inspect and then pulled out another matchstick and placed it in front of her.

"Your turn. Focus, don't get frustrated, and repeat the incantation as many times as necessary," Jason instructed, though his tone was a bit tense, having repeated himself about thirty times at this point. Alice cast Jason a quick glare, having caught the patronizing tone. She set down the needle she'd been inspecting, picking up her own wand that lay on the table in front of her.

Alice closed her eyes, drew a deep breath, and straightened up a bit. Exhaling, she opened her eyes and focused her attention on the matchstick in front of her. She pronounced the incantation clearly, matching it with the proper actions.

The matchstick remained as it was. Except now Alice swore it was mocking her. Her eyes narrowed and she repeated the spell, a bit more forcefully.

Her voice got louder and angrier after every repetition, her movements more exaggerated and wild. Jason dropped his head in his hands with a groan. He heard a 'woosh' followed by Alice swearing as the matchstick again sparked and burst into flame. Alice lifted the heavy book and beat at the fire viciously until it went out.

Alice glanced over at Jason, whose face was hidden by his hands which were pressed against his forehead. Suddenly, Jason began gathering up his things and rose from his seat.

"Where do you think you're going?" Alice demanded.

"To bed. You should too, McGonagall's not expecting you to have learned it by tomorrow. Transfiguration is difficult," Jason said wearily, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"You get it just fine," Alice muttered grumpily.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean you can. We may be twins but that doesn't mean that we can each do the same things,"

"Exactly. You can do everything!" Alice grumbled.

"It also doesn't mean I can teach you anything," he said, ignoring her comment and looking at her sternly.

This was certainly true. Alice and Jason had never been very good at teaching things to each other. When they were in soccer, Alice tried to teach Jason how to score, but he just wasn't coordinated with his feet, and she grew too easily frustrated with him. Similarly, in school, Jason had often tried to help his sister with concepts she had trouble understanding, but she grew frustrated, making Jason frustrated, to the point where they both just yelled at each other and stormed off to study separately. Neither was really sure why they thought magic would be any different.

"Thanks for nothing," Alice grumbled.

"Anytime. I'll see you tomorrow for Flying lessons," Jason called over his shoulder as he left Alice at her table.

Alice groaned and dropped her head to the table. Flying lessons. She'd almost forgotten.

While Lee, Alicia, Angelina, Fred, and George expected her to be the next big Quidditch star, none of them knew that Alice was terrified of flying. Not of heights. She could climb a tree taller than a two-story house and not feel a slight qualm upon looking at the ground far below. She also loved roller coasters so it had nothing to do with zooming around above the ground. It was not being in contact with something firmly rooted to the ground that set Alice's stomach flipping and heart pounding. A tree was rooted into the ground, a roller coaster car was on tracks that were firmly tied to the ground, an airplane, or even worse a broom, was not connected to the ground in any way. Airplanes were bad enough, but at least it had a floor and walls so that every now and then you could forget you were miles above ground surrounded by nothing by air. Not so with brooms, and Alice was dreading her first ride on one.

She lifted her head off the table and leaned back in her seat. Casting a glare at the matchstick box, she found that only one was left and plucked it out to set on the table before her. She then leaned forward to rest her arms on the table and stared intently at the matchstick.

"Alright, listen here, matchstick," Alice began, addressing the matchstick. "Your brethren have so far been uncooperative, and you can see how that worked out for them!" she threatened gesturing at the charred remains. "So, I'll make you a proposition. You cooperate and turn into a needle—just a simple change, you may prefer it, it's definitely a sleeker design and not quite so prone to destruction as is the point behind your current design—and I won't explode you! Easy as that! I'll also probably keep you forever, if that helps you decide," Alice shrugged.

She knew she sounded crazy to anyone overhearing her, but the students that were still in the library after midnight after only the third day of classes had their own problems. Alice drew herself up and lifted her wand. Closing her eyes, she drew a deep breath. Banishing images of the matchstick bursting into flame, Alice instead visualized it turning sleek and silver and pointy. She opened her eyes and wiggled her shoulders to release the tension before focusing on the matchstick.

She repeated the incantation and did the wand movements McGonagall had instructed last class. After the first try proved no results, Alice pushed down the gnawing frustration and doubt, and decided to close her eyes. With her eyes clamped shut, she imagined the matchstick turning into a needle and repeated the incantation and movements. After three repetitions, Alice peeked out of one eye down at the matchstick. The other eye quickly followed as her eyebrows shot up.

The matchstick was now pointy.

It was still a matchstick, made of wood with the red tip, but the red tip was no longer circular, but pointy. Alice resisted the urge to stop there and claim success, and quickly closed her eyes to continue. With a growing confidence, Alice repeated the spell a few more times before peering back down at her work.

It worked! The matchstick was a needle!

Alice lifted the needle triumphantly in the air and let out a whoop of victory! She was quickly ambushed by angry shushing, reminding her she was in the library after hours. Upon that thought, Alice realized none of them should be in there at all, they were all technically breaking the rules. She hadn't been ushered out yet, so she shrugged, assuming that upon seeing so many kids still in they had just left it open. At least that would be her defense if she was caught. But she didn't plan on that happening.

Alice gathered up her things and headed out of the library to return to her dormitory. Upon exiting into the hall, Alice felt very aware of the fact that it was after hours and everyone was supposed to be in their common rooms already. The castle was eerily quiet and dark. Alice nearly walked right into a suit of armor because she couldn't see it until the handle of an axe appeared right in front of her nose. They really should be taught a 'light' spell or something on the first day! She managed to maneuver around the suits of armor and kept a hand on the wall to keep her going in the right direction.

She found her way to the stairs and was almost home free without getting caught when a ghost, at least that's what she assumed it was but he looked much more solid and not translucent, suddenly swooped down out of the ceiling to hover in front of her.

"Ah! An ickle firstie out of bed after hours! Must be my lucky night!" the little man bubbled. He had a mischievous grin on his face and was dressed quite strangely, almost like a clown, with a bell-covered hat and an orange bowtie. He sucked in a deep breath to call her out, but Alice interrupted.

"What are you?" she asked promptly before the ghost-thing could continue.

He paused looking quite confused. She didn't seem at all perturbed that she'd been caught. Alice noticed his look of bemusement and continued.

"I mean, you're not translucent and white like the ghosts. You look solid but you're clearly not as you just swooped through the ceiling. So what are you? Or sorry, maybe who are you would be more polite," Alice added belatedly.

"I'm Peeves the Poltergeist!" he blurted, a bit insulted that she didn't know him.

"Nice to meet you, Peeves. What exactly is a poltergeist? What do you do?" Alice prompted further.

"Well, it's basically a spirit of chaos, but indestructible! I really just cause mayhem wherever I go," Peeves shrugged.

"Awesome! I like to think I share that purpose, but I'm certain you can do so much more mischief than my own feeble attempts, I mean being an indestructible spirit would really come in handy!" Alice gushed.

Peeves was flattered. Maybe he wouldn't rat this first-year out. She may even prove herself to be of like mind as him, upon which he could take her under his wing much like he was doing with the Weasley twins. Those were two agents of chaos if ever he'd seen 'em!

"Well, I don't like to brag," Peeves said, in mock humility. "But I do sort of run this school! And they can't get rid of me as I come with the building!"

"You've got it made then!" Alice chuckled.

"Yes, it's a rather nice set-up! That nasty old Filch sure does rail about it!" Peeves leaned back in mid-air, lounging as if on a chair, folding his hands behind his head.

"Who's Filch?" Alice asked curiously.

"Filch the caretaker! He hates me as I work to make his life miserable; possessing suits of armor, dropping bombs of all sorts on students, messing up classrooms, the works!"

"Cool! I once rigged my brother's bedroom door so that when he entered a bucket of strawberry jelly dumped down on him, but it got my dad instead! He was actually quite proud at my feat of engineering, as this was before I found out I was a witch. My brother was all puffed up, teasing me 'bout how I'd missed him, but I had set up a back-up, so when he went into his bathroom a tub of chocolate syrup poured on his head!" Alice recounted. Peeves hollered with laughter.

"And since I didn't want to have all that chocolate be wasted, my dad and I made ourselves some sundaes and swiped the syrup off my brother!" Peeves was rolling with laughter.

"You know what?" Peeves hooted, wiping tears from his eyes. "You're not bad! What's your name kid?"

"Alice Connen," Alice introduced herself.

Peeves shook her hand.

"Pleased to meet you Miss Connen! You seem a girl after my own heart! A little advice: Filch is a stickler so don't get caught by him, but if you do, he's easy to mess with! Sometimes, it's fun to get caught just to string him around a bit!" Peeves shared.

"I will remember that, thanks," Alice vowed.

"Don't mention it! You know, you remind me of someone, a girl that was here a while back," Peeves trailed off, trying to remember who Alice reminded him of.

By the time Alice said goodbye to the poltergeist the two had become fast friends bonding over tales of trouble-making. He soared away through a wall and Alice continued on to the Gryffindor Common Room. She found the Common Room empty and dark and proceeded up to her dormitory.

Reaching her room, Alice fell into bed. She was exhausted and had just enough energy to kick her shoes off before burrowing under the covers. She fell fast asleep, but it wasn't long before Emily was shaking her shoulder to wake her up for breakfast. Alice grumbled something incoherent, but Emily kept shaking her shoulder.

"I'm awake!" she finally growled out. Emily sighed.

"Oh good, hurry up, we're running late!"

"What?" Alice asked, now alert.

"Yeah, if you want breakfast we gotta go now! I didn't wake up as early as I usually do, probably because we had Astronomy so late last night. By the way, when did you get back?" Emily asked as Alice slid from the bed.

It was a good thing that Alice hadn't changed out of her clothes from last night because as it was they just barely had time to grab a few fruits to finish on their way to Transfiguration. Well, Emily grabbed some fruit, Alice grabbed toast and a few strips of bacon. Her fingers were still greasy when the girls sat down at a desk beside Katie and Leanne.

McGonagall had them continue working on changing the matchstick into a needle. Alice smirked. After a while, McGonagall made her way over to Emily and Alice's table. Emily was starting to get it, her matchstick looked a bit sleeker, as if it was turning from wood to metal. McGonagall applauded her efforts and turned her attention to Alice.

Alice was leaning back in her chair, feet propped up on the desk, blowing up at a paper bird to keep it aloft. McGonagall's lips drew into a tight line as a crease formed between her eyebrows.

"Miss Connen, this is class time, not recess," she scolded.

Alice dropped her feet back onto the ground and let the paper bird fall down to the desk. She had a grin on her face and looked directly at McGonagall, not even flinching at the glare she was receiving.

"Oh, I know Professor. I was just messing around because I finished!" Alice explained.

McGonagall tried to hide her surprise. Alice gestured to the needle resting on the table before her. McGonagall's eyes widened visibly.

"You did this?" McGonagall asked, lifting the needle to inspect it. It was a perfect transfiguration. Alice nodded triumphantly. "Show me," McGonagall said, setting another matchstick before Alice.

Alice's grin slipped a bit, thinking McGonagall didn't believe her and thought she was cheating. Alice pointed her wand at the matchstick and closed her eyes before repeating the spell. It still took a couple repetitions, but the matchstick transformed completely into a needle. McGonagall couldn't hide her surprise now.

"That's… that's excellent work Miss Connen!" McGonagall declared.

Alice's smile seemed to fill her face.

"Honestly, you must be a very talented young lady. And growing up in the Muggle world, it makes your progress all the more impressive! I've seen only a few other students take to Transfiguration as fast as you and your brother have!" McGonagall praised.

Alice's face fell a bit at the mention of her brother.

"Well, professor," Alice began, a knot of guilt in her stomach. "I didn't just get this. I was actually working on it, like all night!"

McGonagall's look softened a bit. But the look of pride remained. "Miss Connen, that does not make your achievement any less impressive. On the contrary, I find it quite admirable and impressive that you were so resilient! Often, it's not just sheer talent, but the dedication that makes a great witch. Excellent work!"

Alice seemed to glow from McGonagall's praise for the rest of class. It wasn't until they were heading down to lunch and ran into Lee Jordan that Alice was reminded that their next lesson was flying.

"Aren't you gonna eat something?" Emily asked, a bit concerned. Alice sat at the table, looking at all the food with a bit of a queasy look.

"I'll pass," Alice said, ignoring her stomach's grumble. She wasn't gonna be the kid that couldn't keep her lunch down during flying lessons. Emily seemed to catch her meaning and halted before getting more food.

"That's probably wise," Emily replied, just eating the apple she'd already gotten.

Alice trudged down to the field, her stomach was forming in knots and twisting upon itself, just like it did every time before she flew in an airplane, except this time it was worse. Emily was seemingly unaffected as she chattered on like she typically did. She was actually trying to distract Alice, as Emily could see how scared Alice was.

"So, that made my mom really upset and she started talking in French really fast! That's what she does when she gets mad, she rattles off in French, and even if you can understand French it's difficult to understand her because she gets talking so fast! So my brother just kinda stood there like a landed fish, just staring at her as she fumed incoherently, which of course made my mom even angrier because she thought he wasn't listening to her!" Emily kept glancing over at Alice to see if her plan was working. It didn't seem to be.

They got to the field where there were twenty-four brooms laid out in neat rows on the ground. The Gryffindors were having flying lessons with the Ravenclaws, and the houses almost instinctively segregated themselves. Alice and Jason were across from each other.

"You okay?" Jason mouthed to Alice. She nodded weakly but her brother noticed she looked everywhere but at the brooms before her.

"Welcome to your first flying lesson! I'm Madam Hooch," a woman with short gray hair and yellow, hawk-like eyes declared. The students all turned their attention to her. "Well, what are you waiting for? Everyone stand by a broomstick."

Alice sucked in a deep breath as she went to stand by a broomstick next to Emily. Jason came over and took his place by a broomstick on her other side. Alice was grateful for his support.

"Now, everyone hold out your right hand above your broomstick, and say 'Up!'" Madam Hooch instructed.

The students did as told and for the next few minutes, the field clamored with students sternly calling out 'up' to their broomsticks. For some students, it only took a couple orders before the broomstick flew up into their hand. Others took a bit longer.

Jason's broom cooperated relatively quickly. He glanced over at Alice whose broom was still on the ground. Alice was growing increasingly frustrated as the broomstick continued to ignore her. Jason was relieved. If Alice was getting angry, it meant she was forgetting some of her terror. Finally, after a very angry, stern command, Alice's broomstick flew up into her hand.

"Alright, now I want you to mount your broom,and grip it tight! You don't want to slide off the end."

Alice gulped.

Now, at my whistle, I want you all to kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your broom steady and hover for a moment. When you want to touch back down, lean forward slightly," Madam Hooch instructed.

The students all began jumping, trying to get into the air on their broomsticks. Alice had to laugh a bit. They looked quite ridiculous, everyone jumping about on broomsticks. All the kids that had grown up in magic families got up quickly as they had been riding brooms for a while already. A couple Muggle-born kids got into the air and they hovered a few inches above the ground, staring down, some in fear others in excitement. Jason got up into the air after just a few tries and he glared down at Alice, who was barely hopping, not trying at all really.

Alice must've felt his glare because she looked up at him. She got Jason's silent message and finally did a real push off of the ground. Her feet hovered a few inches off of the ground as she sat on the broomstick, staring down at the ground in fear.

"Alice!" Emily called.

Alice quickly looked over at Emily who was hovering next to her. Emily eased her hands off of the broomstick and held them out to her sides.

"Look! No hands!" she grinned. She lost her balance a bit though, and her hands clamped back down on the handle. She laughed a bit as she steadied herself.

"Now, to direct your broom, just point the handle in the direction you want to go and lean forward, the further forward the faster you'll go. For now, go slowly," Madam Hooch called out as she got on her broom and hovered a bit above the students.

Emily had ridden a broomstick before, so she moved easy enough. Though she had never been very good at it, so she was a bit wobbly. Other pure-bloods and half-bloods flew with ease, a few boys zoomed up very fast and began chasing each other. Madam Hooch's whistle cut through the air and she flew up to scold the boys.

"Mister Ward! Mister Parks! I said go slowly! Now is not the time for showing off!"

The two boys flew back down with Madam Hooch, her ordering them sternly to remain within five feet off the ground. The boys were sullen, but continued chasing each other around. They zoomed past Alice, rattling her a bit on her broom. She clung to the handle with a death grip and cursed the boys under her breath.

Jason was handling flying very well, looking much more confident flying than Emily. He had clearly gotten all the Quidditch genes from their parents. Jason flew down to Alice.

"Alice, if you stare down at the ground, that's where you'll go," he instructed gently.

"Heh, that sounds a lot like the 'eye on the ball' speech I gave you back in little league!" she laughed, though her voice was a bit shaky. She did listen to him though and looked up at him.

"Think about it like riding a bike, or skating," Jason offered and flew a bit ahead of her and turned back around to face her. "Now, fly over to me."

Alice leaned just the slightest bit forward. She progressed towards him at a snail's pace.

"While I'm still young, please," Jason teased.

"Shut up," Alice muttered, glancing down at the ground.

"No! Eyes on me!" Jason ordered sternly. Alice's eyes snapped back up to him, with a bit of a glare, but it was half-hearted at best.

She leaned forward a bit more and flew over to Jason. She flew past him and overcorrected trying to stop herself though and leaned backwards. This caused her broom to go backwards, but Jason grabbed hold of the handle of her broom as she came back past him. Alice quickly straightened up.

"You're doing well," Jason encouraged Alice. She gave him a shaky grin.

"This is terrifying. Can we go down now?" Alice asked, partly joking, mostly serious.

Luckily, Madam Hooch had gotten tired of chasing around Misters Ward and Parks, and ordered them all back to the ground. Alice was the first one back on solid land. Emily quickly joined her. Jason was on his way down when another Ravenclaw bumped into him on her way down.

"Oh, sorry!" she apologized.

"Oh, no, it's fine," Jason assured her. The two floated down to the ground and hopped off their brooms.

"I'm Cho," the girl introduced herself.

"Jason," he returned. The girl cast him a very pretty smile.

Alice would've scoffed had she seen the exchange, but luckily for Jason she was too focused on blessing and thanking the ground for always being there to support her. Madam Hooch dismissed the students and the Ravenclaws headed back up to the castle, Jason walking with Cho. The Gryffindors were done for the day so Alice and Emily headed to the lake.

"That wasn't so bad, right?" Emily prompted Alice.

"Are you kidding? That was terrifying! I never want to do that again," Alice swore.

"Oh, well, I'm sorry Alice, but we have this class for the rest of the semester," Emily tried to break the news gently to Alice. Alice stopped and stared at Emily blankly for a moment before turning to look up into the sky.

"God, why are you punishing me?" she implored.

Two boys raced past the girls, just barely avoiding clipping Alice's shoulder. They were the two boys who had been chasing each other during flying lessons, one of them Alice recognized as Thomas, the kid that had called Triggs a nutter. The girls watched as the boys headed straight for Liz, who was standing by the lake talking with Katie and Leanne.

Liz saw the boys out of the corner of her eye and turning, she saw what they were planning. She sighed and rolled her eyes while Katie and Leanne backed up quickly after noticing the boys barreling towards them. Liz simply stood there, watching the boys with an annoyed look as they raced towards her. Right before they could grab her to push her into the lake, she slipped out of the way. The boys had too much momentum to stop themselves and barreled straight into the lake with a splash. Alice guffawed as she and Emily caught up to see the boys spluttering in the lake and wiping their hair out of their eyes.

"No fair, Liz!" one of the boys complained.

"What? Why are you blaming me? I didn't do anything!" Liz returned mockingly.

"Yeah, you guys just ran straight into the lake!" Alice joined the teasing.

The boys were sullen as they clambered ashore.

"I told you it wouldn't work, Cole!" Thomas grumbled accusingly, plucking a mat of seaweed from his shirt and letting it plop onto the ground.

"Me? The whole thing was your idea!" Cole retorted, smoothing his brown hair, which was sticking up everywhere, down and out of his face.

Thomas leaned over and messed up Cole's hair. Cole shoved at Thomas's shoulder, jokingly, and tried to re-fix his hair. Thomas returned it, starting an actual tussle between the two boys. The girls rolled their eyes and ignored them.

"Nice move, Liz," Alice commented admiringly.

"Thanks, I grew up with three older brothers, I know all the tricks," Liz explained grinning. "These guys are amateurs really," she stated loudly so the boys could hear.

The boys halted their tussle, Cole letting Thomas out of a headlock.

"Hey! We're not amateurs! Well, Cole maybe, but not me!" Thomas returned.

"Hey!" Cole laughed and tackled him, resuming their tussle.

"Yeah, you're really proving us wrong," Alice smirked sardonically. Emily giggled.

"Connen!" a trio of voices called out.

Alice turned to see Fred, George, and Lee on the other side of the lake, waving frantically at her. Alice returned the wave and the boys started racing to her. They were delayed a bit as George knocked Lee out of his way, pushing him into Fred, causing the two to fall in a tangle, which tripped up George. Alice had managed to compose herself by the time they got over to her, all a bit breathless.

"Hey! How'd flying lessons go?" Lee asked.

Fred pulled a twig out of his hair and then gently put it in Lee's. Lee didn't notice, causing the twins to shake with suppressed laughter. Alice couldn't hide a grin at the twins and Lee noticed, turning to the twins and going at them.

"Hey! Take it easy! I've got smoke bombs in my pocket, remember!" Fred flinched away.

Lee didn't tackle him, like he had planned to but twisted Fred's arm. George pulled the twig out of Lee's hair, showing him what Fred did. Lee released and punched Fred, but they all returned their attention to Alice with grins on their faces.

"So?" Lee prompted.

"Have we discovered the next Quidditch legend?" Fred grinned.

"Well, actually—funny thing, see…" Alice laughed awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. "I'm, uh… kinda… terrified of flying," she finally admitted.

"What?" George exclaimed.

"Yeah, can't get more than two feet off the ground without my stomach turning itself inside out," Alice nodded.

"But that's like a fish being afraid to swim! You're a Connen!" Lee was baffled.

"I'm half-Connen—" Alice began but was interrupted by Fred.

"—and half-Ackers, a 1973 Gryffindor Quidditch champion!"

"Yeah, well, it looks like my brother got their talent, unfortunately for us he's in Ravenclaw," Alice explained.

The boys looked crushed, especially Lee.

"But, who's gonna replace Charlie when he leaves? You were gonna continue a legacy!" he complained.

"Sorry, guys," Alice shrugged.

"Maybe it was just first time jitters!" George offered.

"Yeah! Maybe by the end of the year you'll be zooming around Hogwarts! Ready to join us next year!" Fred agreed.

"I highly doubt that. I've always been afraid of flying, like in planes," Alice explained. "But guys, we've got a great team this year! We'll be fine, we've got that cup!" Alice tried to cheer them up.

It worked only mildly.

Alice bit her lip in thought. Her face brightened and for a brief moment, Emily noticed a mischievous expression on Alice's face before it disappeared, hidden by an innocent-seeming smile.

"Hey, guys! What's that?" Alice shouted, pointing out over the lake.

Coincidentally, there actually was something curious in the lake. A giant tentacle broke the surface of the water and splashed down, making waves lap up against the shore. The boys turned to look.

"Oh, that's just the Giant Squid, he's been in the lake forever!" Fred explained nonchalantly.

Alice ducked her shoulder and rammed the group. Unfortunately, her plan to knock them into the lake didn't go so well. Firstly, Fred was a lot stockier than she had thought and so her ramming him only slightly set him off balance. Second, she rammed right into Fred's side, hitting and detonating the smoke bombs in his pocket.

Fred let out a yelp of surprise, mingled with a bit of pain as the bomb had burst against him. Their group was quickly enveloped in foul-smelling smoke that stung their eyes. They all stumbled out of the smoke cloud, coughing and their eyes watering.

They sat down under a tree a good distance from the smoke cloud and coughed the last of it out of their lungs. They then erupted into laughter. Fred was doubled over.

"Well, that didn't go as planned," Alice chuckled.

"Maybe you should leave the tricks to us," George laughed.

"Hey! I'm a good trickster! Just ask my brother," Alice retorted, drawing herself up proudly.

"Yeah, but that was Muggle stuff, magical trickery is on a whole 'nother level!" Fred scoffed.

Alice's jaw dropped, insulted.

"We'll see what level I'm at!" Alice returned, grinning.

"Is that a challenge?" Lee asked, eyes glinting.

"Yes! It is! You guys try to get me with your _superior_ magic tricks, and I'll try to get you with my_ inferior_ Muggle tricks," Alice declared.

"We'll keep tally of successful pranks," Fred continued.

"Double points if you turn someone's prank against them!" George added.

"Yes! And whoever has the most points by the end of the Quidditch tournament wins, and the loser has to carry the books of the winner for the rest of the year," Alice said.

"What kinda prize is that? We don't carry books!" Fred objected.

"How 'bout, loser is the test subject of all the winner's future pranks," George offered.

"No, that's not quite good enough either," Alice waved it off. Tapping her finger against her lips she contemplated. Her eyes widened and she raised her hand in excitement. "I've got it! Loser has to turn over all their gadgets to the winner _and_ has to stand up and declare their pranking inferiority at the end of the year feast!"

"Ooh, that's wicked," Fred grinned.

They were all agreed and sealed the deal with a handshake, upon which Alice got her first point, hiding a buzzer in her palm that shocked Fred when he shook her hand. By that point the wind had shifted and the smoke was spreading across the lake, forcing all the students relaxing by it to evacuate inside.

Each side racked up a few more points in the Gryffindor Common Room before they all headed off to their rooms. Alice climbed in bed, her mind racing with all kinds of pranks. It was then she realized that she would never be safe from that point on. She'd always be peering around doorways and inspecting her things anticipating a trick. She slept like a baby that night.

She lived for this kind of excitement.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>Sorry this one took so long for me to upload, but it's a bit on the longer side so hopefully that makes up for it a bit :) Hope you guys enjoy and please leave reviews!


	9. Chapter 9

Alice thought it fitting that Potions was in the dungeon.

The cloying smells of the potions ingredients had no place up above in the castle with its scents of melting wax and metal fixtures which Alice had come to love. Alice doubted that the dungeon could ever be rid of its odor; it seemed as much a part of the room as the darkness and stone floors.

There was almost a moldy feel to the air, if that made any sense. The air was cold enough to set students shivering, but sticky like the air by the ocean or in a musty library, at least until the fires were lit under their cauldrons, then it became uncomfortably warm. The bubbling of the brews in the cauldrons set a soundscape that reminded Alice of cooking, making her hungry, but the smell and look of the brews just set her stomach into further turmoil.

Professor Snape fit the room too.

He had a cold, gloomy look to match the room's atmosphere. His dark, greasy hair provided the comparison with the mustiness of the room. His voice also seemed a bit nasally and drawling, though he spoke perfectly clear. His eyes seemed to delve into the soul of the object of their gaze, but looked only for the blemishes on it, tossing away the shiny parts. Thus he looked at everyone as if they were despicable to him.

At least, Alice got that impression after she found Snape glaring at her as if she were a specimen he was dissecting. He must've found her insides disagreeable. Maybe his stomach was in just as much turmoil as her own from the smells and sounds of the dungeon.

Snape's gaze flicked away from her imperiously and landed on someone to her left. Alice turned to see Jason sit down at the table next to her with a pretty girl with raven-black hair. Snape cast Jason the same look he gave Alice, and she briefly wondered if he had gone here when their mom had. If he had disliked their mom that could explain the immediate dislike he seemed to have for the twins. Alice decided to ask the Weasleys when Snape had gone to school the next time she saw them.

Snape seemed to stalk, back and forth, at the front of the classroom like a predatory cat, even though Alice fancied he matched a bird more in looks. He stopped behind his podium and started the class.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potionmaking," he began. Even though he barely spoke above a whisper, he had a similar gift as McGonagall in keeping a class quiet with relatively no effort.

"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses..."

Alice rolled her eyes. If she wanted a dramatic monologue she'd go to the Globe Theater.

"I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." More silence followed this little speech.

Alice scoffed, but silently so as not to draw any more ire from the Head of Slytherin. The Weasley twins had warned her that Snape was antagonistic towards Gryffindor. She didn't really believe it until Alicia and Angelina corroborated it.

"McLaggen!" Snape snapped suddenly.

The Gryffindor boy he was referring to was taken completely by surprise. Considering he had been turned around joking with another boy, Alice figured that was Snape's purpose.

"What would I get if I combined sliced ginger, ground scarab beetles, and armadillo bile?"

McLaggen looked dumbfounded, his mouth opening and closing like a landed fish. His friends chuckled and he shushed them angrily. He avoided Snape's gaze as he gave his answer.

"I… I don't know," he mumbled.

"Sir. You don't know, sir," Snape spat.

"I don't know, sir," McLaggen amended, shrinking in his seat.

"As expected. Class time is my time so I'll expect your attention to be focused where it should from now on," Snape scolded sternly. "By the way, those three ingredients are combined to make a Wit-Sharpening Potion, something you and your friends might want to look into."

Alice chuckled appreciatively at the dig. McLaggen and his friends had recently been proving themselves annoying brutes that didn't seem to understand the subtler side of humor. Unfortunately, her outburst drew Snape's attention onto her.

"Miss Connen, since you seem to find this all so amusing, maybe you can tell me when fluxweed should be picked for use in Polyjuice potion?" Snape sneered.

Alice's eyebrows drew down low over her narrowed eyes. Snape glared at her, and she threw it right back at him. Jason's hand had raised for the previous question, and returned to the air for this one too.

"I don't know the answer. Why don't you ask my brother?" Alice grumbled, nodding her head in Jason's direction.

Snape's eyes narrowed angrily.

"Five points from Gryffindor," Snape said maliciously. "Be careful, Miss Connen, or you will lose more points for your cheek."

Alice opened her mouth for an angry retort but she was so furious, all that she could force out was an indignant little squeak. Emily, whose usual cheerful persona had been stifled by the gloomy atmosphere of the dungeons immediately upon entering the classroom, brightened just a bit, the corner of her mouth twitching up at her friend's uncharacteristic squeak.

"Fluxweed must be picked at the full moon to be used in Polyjuice Potion. You should all be writing this down," Snape said disdainfully.

Alice fumed for the rest of class as everyone paired up and set about to mix a simple boil cure potion. She was lucky she had Emily as her partner as Alice was so mad she hardly paid any attention to what she was doing. Emily made sure to keep Alice from adding too many dried nettles or cutting stuff that needed to stay whole. Really, Emily just gave Alice something to crush or put in the cauldron and Alice did it blindly, Emily did all the measuring and stirring. Emily did find Alice's anger to be useful in crushing the snake fangs into a powder.

Snape swept around the room, his long black cloak fluttering behind him like the wings of a dark bird, criticizing everyone. Even Jason was criticized, which Alice didn't see how that was possible as everything he ever did was perfect. Overhearing, that seemed to be Snape's complaint, that Jason was doing things too 'by the book.' Alice scoffed and grabbed a handful of porcupine needles.

Emily just managed to stop Alice before she put them in, quickly snatching them from Alice's hand before they dropped into the bubbling cauldron. This brought Alice back to the real world. She glanced at Emily in confusion mingled with surprise.

"Not until after the potion's been taken off the fire! Otherwise it could become like acid and melt the cauldron and burn whatever it touches!" Emily forewarned, setting the porcupine quills on her side of the desk, far out of Alice's rage-blind reach.

Alice thanked Emily and let her add the porcupine quills when the time came. Their potion turned out pretty good, at least that's what they assumed from Snape's silent, disdainful look before he moved on to scold someone who messed it up. Class couldn't end soon enough for Alice, and even Emily brightened up significantly upon exiting the dungeon.

"That was the unfairest thing in the world! And by the way, it was sarcasm, not cheek!" Alice paused. "Which isn't much better, but still!" She fumed as they were walking up to the Great Hall.

"I'm just glad we didn't have that class with the Slytherins, at least the Ravenclaws were in the same boat as we were," Emily commented.

She was just about to walk through an archway that led up to the ground floor, but Alice noticed something red poking out behind the top left corner. Alice quickly grabbed hold of Emily and dragged her backwards a safe distance away. Emily was scared.

"What? What is it? Was there a spider?" she asked fearfully.

"Shh!" Alice snapped and cautiously approached the archway from the right side. Peering through it, she could just make out some weird-shaped thing, looking like some kind of horn but also with a box that Alice thought was surely meant to explode and douse her with something. She grinned and shook her head. The Weasley twins were good, but they couldn't really expect to get away with such sloppy work.

Turning back to Emily, who still looked startled and confused, Alice grinned mischievously.

"There's some kind of prank hooked up to the archway," Alice said. Emily blinked in confusion.

"But other kids went through just fine," she pointed out.

That was curious, Alice reflected. If other kids could go through without setting it off, then it must somehow be charmed to only get her. Clever.

"Okay, Emily, here's what we're gonna do!" Alice began in a hushed tone as she laid out her battle plan.

* * *

><p>A god-awful howling rang throughout the castle. The students in the Great Hall, sitting down for lunch frantically looked around in confusion. It sounded like it had come from downstairs in the dungeons.<p>

Fred and George grinned over at each other.

"Sounds like the trap's been sprung!" Fred said eagerly.

The twins hopped up from their places at the table and raced out of the Great Hall and down towards the dungeons. The archway they had rigged was just around the corner, and both were eager to see Alice covered in glitter and sequins and feathers that all had Sticking charms on them so that she wouldn't be able to get them off. Rounding the corner, the twins' grins dropped as they stared at the scene.

Emily was lying on the ground, her eyes closed, seemingly unconscious, while Alice was kneeling next to her, crying hysterically.

"Blimey!" George exclaimed and the twins raced over to the girls.

"W-we were coming back from p-p-potions and I saw your trap at the archway and I wanted to turn it b-b-back on you guys and get d-double points so I sent Emily over to try to get it down, but sh-she couldn't reach it and so she got up on that t-ta-table and tried to get it but she s-still couldn't reach I t-t-told her she was reaching too far and to j-just move the table b-but she didn't listen and she f-f-fell!" Alice rambled, tears streaming down her face as her hands shook on Emily's arm. "Oh! This is all my f-fault!" she wailed.

George put an arm around her, casting a fearful look at Fred as he did so. This was not the plan! They didn't mean to hurt a little girl! Embarrass one, yes, but never hurt a bystander!

"It's not your fault, Alice," George comforted.

"A-and when I saw her fall I r-raced over forgetting about the trap a-and it went off on me! So I guess you guys get the points," she cried.

Fred's eyebrow quirked. Alice wasn't covered in glitter and sequins and feathers, but they had heard the horn sound.

"But it didn't work, the box didn't explode," he spoke his thoughts aloud. Pushing off of the ground he got up and went over to inspect the trap. "We designed this ourselves! It should've worked perfectly!"

"Not really the time Fred!" George scolded.

"But it should've worked!" Fred muttered. Watching the box, Fred walked through the archway and then walked back through. Nothing happened, as it should. But maybe nothing happened because they had gotten the figurative wires crossed and it wasn't going off at all.

"Alice, come here," Fred ushered.

George cast him a baleful glance. Fred glared back at him and still motioned for Alice to come over. Sniffling, Alice wiped her eyes with her sleeves and walked over to where Fred stood on the other side of the archway.

"Now walk over to the other side," Fred said, directing her back through the archway.

Alice did as he told her and nothing happened. Fred frowned and leapt up onto the table Emily had used, and inspected the trap. He tapped at it with his wand and then readjusted a few things that Emily must've pulled on when she fell. That should do it.

"Okay! Alice, come back!" Fred grinned, going back through the archway.

George stood up and fixed Fred with an angry glare. He grabbed hold of Alice and kept her from going over to Fred.

"No. Fred, this is ridiculous! Her friend's hurt! And you're worried about the stupid prank!" George scolded.

"Well, the design was clearly flawed, we have to figure out how to fix it!" Fred complained.

George advanced angrily towards Fred, crossing under the archway. The twins missed the brief flash of a grin on Alice's face. She grabbed Emily's hand and squeezed it.

"No, this has gone too far! We'll just go back to the drawing boards and start over with it, get a different test subject. We should really get the girl to the Infirmary, make sure she's okay," George explained.

Fred sighed but conceded George's point. The twins walked back to go get Emily, but just as they passed under the archway, a blaring howl set their ears ringing. It was accompanied by a 'pop!' and the two were immediately doused with glitter and sequins and feathers. The twins stood in shock and silence as whatever glitter, sequins, and feathers hadn't immediately stuck to them drifted down to the floor.

Alice burst out laughing and Emily was laughing too. The blonde girl was sitting up, perfectly fine. The twins glared at the girls.

"So, that's double points for me! I do believe this puts me ahead!" Alice cheered.

"How did you reverse engineer it? This is an original design!" Fred demanded, outraged.

"I described it to Alice and figured out what spells were cast on it," Emily began.

"And I instructed Emily how to reconfigure it to go off on you guys!" Alice finished.

"But then what was that howling that went off earlier?" George asked confused.

"We just blew the horn!" Emily laughed.

George hit Fred in the arm.

"I told you we should've put the mouthpiece inside the box!"

"Well, I'm sorry that I didn't anticipate this!" Fred retorted caustically.

"Always expect the unexpected boys! And you guys should really be more careful, I saw that thing a mile away!" Alice teased.

"What's going on here?" a crotchety voice demanded angrily.

"Filch," the twins grumbled simultaneously.

A scrawny, dust-colored cat meowed angrily, as if scolding the boys for their disrespect.

"That goes for you too, Mrs. Norris!" George growled at the cat.

Mr. Filch was an old, hunchbacked man with pale, beady eyes and quivering jowls. His hair was thin and gray and he wore a brown coat that looked like it had seen better days. Peeves had mentioned Filch to Alice earlier, and she now understood why he said to avoid him.

"Weasleys. I should'a known! Yer always bein' disruptions! Now clean that up!" he wailed, gesturing to the glitter, sequins, and feathers stuck to the floor.

"We can't," George said.

"They're stuck with a sticking charm," Fred added.

"You'll have to get Professor Flitwick down here to do the counter spell," Alice explained.

For the first time, Filch's attention went to Alice. His gaze had completely skipped over the two first-year girls upon his entering the room, bee-lining straight to the twins who were always at the center of the incident. Now he stared at Alice, who appeared to have that same troublesome look that the twins had. Filch immediately took her to be involved.

"Well, then!" Filch harrumphed. "You! Girl!" he pointed to Emily whose eyes grew to the size of saucers. "Go get this professor! And you three!" as Emily scampered off, casting Alice an apologetic look for leaving, Filch turned his ire on the Weasleys and Alice. "Yer comin' with me!"

Fred and George sighed and followed after Filch, who was shuffling and wheezing, hustling Alice along too. This was not how she had planned to spend her free afternoon! The twins just had to poorly place that trap, didn't they?

They reached Filch's office and the three students waited a few steps behind Filch as he fussed with his keys. Once Filch had unlocked the door, Fred bent down to tie his shoe. Filch quickly pounced on him.

"Oi! What's 'e doin'? Get up!" Filch roared.

"I'm tying my shoe," Fred explained, a hint of exasperation in his voice.

George cast Alice a knowing look and while Filch's attention was on Fred he passed her a small bauble. Alice clutched it behind her back, and followed George's nod to go drop it over inside a potted plant. Once that was done she meandered back over next to George, Filch none the wiser.

"Well, you've tied it! So get in! Don't want you fiends doin' any funny business!" Filch grumbled, ushering the three students inside his office. He cast a quick glance up each side of the corridor before ducking in and slamming the door behind him.

Fred quirked his eyebrow and smirked at Alice as they all positioned themselves in front of the desk, the twins bookending Alice. Filch shuffled over behind his desk and sat down in the chair. Upon realizing he had to now look up at the kids, he grew noticeably uncomfortable and shifted in his seat, avoiding looking up directly at the kids. George glanced at Fred and Alice, the corner of his mouth upturned.

"You little monsters are always causing trouble," Filch directed at the Weasley twins.

Fred mocked shock and insult, throwing his hand up to his chest, his mouth gaping. George grinned and shrugged.

"Yeah," he said dreamily.

"But you," Filch ignored the boys and stared directly at Alice. "yer a new one!" he spat.

"Why yes, yes I am, Alice Connen," she introduced herself brightly. "Nice to meet you too, my, my, what a wonderful office you have here," she smiled, looking around.

The office was smaller than all her classrooms but felt barely larger than a closet as it was filled with filing cabinets. These contained files that documented all the wrongdoings of students for the past couple decades, as well as confiscated objects. Hanging from the ceiling were some chains and manacles, which were kept in quite good condition just in case Filch was ever allowed to use them.

"I love the manacles, they add nicely to the atmosphere of doom you're going for, though I myself would add a cage, maybe over there in that little corner," Alice continued.

Fred and George tried to hide their grins. Filch was blustering, his face turning red and splotchy, outraged by this girl's insolence. Alice never once dropped the perfectly innocent, casual aplomb she had adopted since getting caught.

"You—you fiend! You're just as despicable as these two! I'll write you all up! For befouling the castle and for insolence!" Filch raged, leaping up from his seat.

The students remained standing casually, George with his hands in his pockets, rocking back and forth on his heels. Filch began scrabbling for papers and a quill, muttering about their disrespect and how evil they were and how this castle was running rampant with insolent little devils. Fred began to whistle.

Suddenly, a god-awful screeching pealed through the air. Filch jumped and clamped his hands over his ears. The students winced a bit but remained where they were. Filch began rambling about fiends and hastened towards the door, tripping on stacks of papers and stepping on Mrs. Norris's tail.

"Sorry, my dear! I'll get those fiends!" Filch fumed as he was about to race out the door, but he seemed to belatedly remember the three students in his office awaiting punishment. He looked back at them. "Stay here! I'm not done with you!"

And with that Filch bolted down the corridor searching for the source of the screeching. The kids burst out laughing. They congratulated themselves on a well-laid plan and began to head for the door.

"Hold up!" Fred said interestedly. He stopped in front of the door, forcing the other two to abruptly halt before running into him. "What's this?" he said climbing over toppled stacks of paper to a filing cabinet in the corner.

"Confiscated and Highly Dangerous," George read the label on the cabinet aloud as he and Alice clambered after him.

"My three favorite words!" Alice grinned.

Fred opened up the filing cabinet and the kids were prepared to casually peruse through the objects, but the screeching sound suddenly ceased. Casting fearful glances at each other, Fred grabbed the object on top, a folded bit of parchment, and slammed the drawer closed. The kids then stumbled through the messy office, Fred had to catch himself with his hands to avoid falling face first out the door. George grabbed his arm and the three raced down the hall.

Rounding a corner, the kids ducked against the wall to catch their breath. They heard Filch's shuffling footsteps and angry mutterings approaching his office. They didn't stick around to hear his response to finding his office empty and took to their heels heading for the Common Room.

They didn't stop running until they reached the third floor and there they all paused to catch their breath. Straightening up, Alice turned to the boys to smile triumphantly. She suddenly burst out laughing, causing the boys to give her bemused looks. She couldn't explain herself for several minutes she was laughing so hard.

"You guys!" she gasped. "You look ridiculous!" she exclaimed once she'd gotten her breath back from the laughing.

Fred and George turned to really look at each other and found the reason for Alice's mirth. They were both still covered in glitter, sequins, and feathers.

"It's like a duck attacked a disco ball!" Alice gasped, bent double with laughter once more.

The twins joined in and they all continued up to the Common Room, throwing jokes at each other along the way. When they approached the portrait hole, the fat lady was momentarily useless as she chuckled heartily at the boys. They grumbled and rolled their eyes, repeating the password. The fat lady finally got control of herself and let them in, but they could still hear her giggles as they climbed through the portrait hole.

"Ugh, climbing through this thing is a pain, I wish I could just jump through it!" Alice complained, stumbling out the other side.

"Good luck with that!" George scoffed.

Upon the twins' entrance, the common room went into an uproar. They rolled their eyes again. Honestly this was getting old! Alice grinned at their discomfiture and went over to the blackboard, on which she and the twins were keeping score of their prank war.

There she added her points and tallied up her new total, which put her ahead of the boys by five. It was a good lead, but Alice had to increase it, now wasn't the time to get complacent. Already she had her next prank set in motion, and the boys wouldn't see it coming!

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>Flashback to poor Neville and Seamus's potion fiasco! And Alice's first encounter (of many to come) with Filch! Anyone know what they grabbed from Filch's office? How do you like the prank war? Do you want to see any other characters more in the future? I want lots and lots of feedback! I love reviews because I really want to know what you guys think of my story!

P.S. I'm terrible with art but I feel like this story needs a cover, if any of you guys are good artists or good editors I would love to be able to use your work for the story's cover!


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Notes: **I am so sorry this took so much longer than the others. I got busy with fall break and tests and then writer's block... ugh, but it is pretty long so hopefully that makes up for it :)

I just want you guys that have been sticking with me to know that I truly appreciate you! Thank you and I hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p>Emily stood by the portrait hole, shifting her weight nervously and looking on in consternation. Alice glanced over at her and grinned and Emily gave her two thumbs up and a shaky grin that disappeared as soon as Alice redirected her attention. Alice stared down the portrait hole and assumed a runner's stance.<p>

She was positioned about twenty feet from the portrait hole, giving her enough room for a running start. Alice took off, sprinting towards the portrait hole, and leapt into the air just before reaching it. Ducking her head, Alice flew into the portrait hole, but a slight thud and some muttered cursing revealed to Emily that Alice was unsuccessful… again.

Alice had been trying to jump through the portrait hole for the past fifteen minutes. Every time proved unsuccessful. Either she jumped too late, often resulting in a foot getting tripped by the edge of the hole, or too early, as she had this time, not giving her enough air time to make it all the way through the portrait hole. Emily had suggested they put pillows on the edges so that Alice wouldn't get hurt, but Alice refused adamantly. Pillows would simply get in the way, making the tight space Alice had to jump through that much smaller.

Emily had at first eagerly joined to watch Alice, but after about the sixth failure, Emily began to agree with the other Gryffindors: it couldn't be done. She also was growing increasingly convinced that the day would end up in the hospital wing. Alice clambered back out of the portrait hole, her robes tangled all about her.

"Hey, we can come back to this later, don't you want to go down to the lake? The Giant Squid's out and Thomas and Cole were gonna try and tickle it!" Emily proposed in the vain attempt to entice Alice away from this venture.

Alice swiped the hair out of her face and pulled it free of the messy ponytail. She flipped her hair over and gathered it together to redo it. She shook her head firmly.

"Nope, just one more try. I just jumped too early that time, but I was only about an inch or two off!" Alice replied and went back to her position.

Emily sighed and watched as Alice raced once more towards the portrait hole. However, this time, the portrait began to swing back closed. Alice had to quickly put on the brakes but still just barely avoided running headlong into the fat lady portrait.

"What's the deal, Fat Lady?" Alice asked in frustration.

"Oh! Sorry, dear! I didn't know you were still at it. I can't just hang open all day! I can reopen if you'd like?" the fat lady asked, though she didn't seem too keen on the idea.

"Ah, that's fine!" Alice waved her off. "I'll just get back to it later. Come on, Emily, we can go down to the lake now."

The Fat Lady and Emily cast knowing looks to each other and grinned. Emily jogged a bit to catch up to Alice and the two girls headed off down the corridor. The girls found that the halls were much less lively on the weekends, with most of the students hanging outside. Reaching the lower levels, they passed more students; clumps of girls talking by a window and looking out at some kind of pick-up game some boys were playing down below, kids bent over chessboards with one side or another erupting into cheers when their chess piece overpowered their opponent's, and of course there were always some couples off in an alcove. Emily would hastily avert her gaze, a fierce blush rising in her cheeks when they came across the latter. The girls made it down to the ground floor and stepped out onto the lawns.

Here they found the majority of the student body. The sun was shining and dancing over the lake, and a light wind set the trees swaying gently. A group of kids were playing what looked like a friendly Hufflepuff vs. Gryffindor quidditch game. Another, more competitive game was going on down by the forest between some Slytherins and Ravenclaws.

Passing by another group of kids, Emily tugged at Alice's sleeve. Looking over, Alice couldn't stop from laughing as Emily was utterly confused by what the kids were doing. They had to have been Muggle-borns because they were playing basketball; modified of course as the baskets were floating in midair. Emily was startled and jumped when one boy leapt up to dunk the ball in the floating hoop, knocking over another boy who had slipped in last minute to block him. He fell heavily but laughed as he was helped up by the kid that had knocked him down and their game resumed immediately. Alice tried to explain the game to Emily, but she was more confused by it than Alice had been with quidditch.

The lake was crowded, a bunch of kids swimming in the lake, a group messing with the Giant Squid, and even more just hanging out by the water's edge. Thomas, Cole, Liz, Katie, and Leanne were over by the lake too. The girls were sitting on the edge while the boys showed off in the water, dunking each other under. Shrill squeals erupted from the group when the boys tried to drag the girls in the water. Thomas successfully dragged Leanne in while Cole was knocked back into the water by Liz whom he had mistakenly tried to push in the lake. The group waved over to Alice and Emily who returned the waves, but Alice had seen Fred, George, and Lee sitting over under a tree and she headed over to them, Emily tagging along behind.

"Reveal yourself!" Lee ordered, tapping his wand against a bit of parchment.

As Alice and Emily neared they could see writing appear on the previously blank parchment. The boys howled with laughter and the girls came up and sat down with them. Fred passed the parchment to Alice who held it out so she and Emily could read it.

"Mr. Padfoot would like to compliment Mister Jordan on his mostly successful transfiguration of his hair into a tangle of spider's legs.

"Mr. Prongs agrees and would like to add that Jordan's partial success doesn't mean he no longer needs to wash his hair.

"Goodness, Mr. Wormtail agrees and the dirty dog smell may have something to do with Mister Jordan's romantic failures.

"Mr. Moony advises Mister Jordan that this girl is out of his league and to aim lower, like he does in his academics."

Emily tried not to laugh, as the parchment writing was very insulting to Lee. Alice had no such compunctions and burst out laughing along with Fred and George. Lee was laughing too though, so eventually Emily joined in too with her chiming giggles.

"What is this beautiful piece of art?" Alice asked when she could breathe.

"No idea," George answered.

"Remember that bit of parchment we swiped from Filch's office?" Fred asked. Alice nodded. "Well, this is it!"

"We were trying to figure out what it was, so we cast spells that were supposed to reveal anything hidden on it, and that's how we discovered this!" George chuckled.

"It insulted my clothes and called my complexion stupid," Fred continued.

"Every time you try to reveal what's on it, it pops up with new insults for you! We've been doing this for an hour already!" Lee finished.

"Yeah, see watch!" George said and Alice passed the parchment back to George. She noticed as she passed it, that the words began to fade away. It was once more completely blank by the time George set his wand to it and ordered, "Show your true nature!"

"Mr. Moony would like to inform Mister G. Weasley that his ineptitude is anything but charming.

"Mr. Wormtail would like to add that Weasley is a git and it's a miracle he has any friends at all!

"Mr. Prongs disagrees with Messrs Moony and Wormtail, and thinks Mister G. Weasley is quite intelligent and charming… for a carrot.

"Mr. Padfoot would like to wish Mister G. Weasley a good day, and try to avoid the rabbits."

None laughed harder than George at the digs, but Alice was quick to want her turn.

"Pass it here!" Alice called and leaned over to get the parchment from George. Setting it on her lap she touched her wand to the parchment and said, "Aparecium!"

The others looked at her in surprise at the spell. Alice shrugged. "I read it in the spells book."

"You actually read it?" Lee asked. "Oh wait, you were raised as a Muggle, never mind, continue!"

Alice turned her attention to the parchment and saw the writing reappear.

"Mister Moony would like to applaud Miss Connen! That was actually rather clever, but that being said she should really stop being such a stage hog!

"Mister Wormtail agrees and wishes Miss Connen would cease this incessant curiosity, it's becoming a bit of a bore.

"Mister Prongs believes Miss Connen to be up to no good! This curiosity is just an agent for mischief making, too bad she's only sub-par at pranking!

"Mister Padfoot would like to remind Miss Connen of the fate of the curious cat, mischief must be managed if it is to be successful, lest you'll be a permanent fixture of Filch's office, though Mister Padfoot admits Miss Connen would be the prettiest fixture in there!"

Alice scoffed at the insult to her pranking skills while Fred and George roared with laughter.

"I think I just got hit on by a bit of parchment though!" Alice laughed at the last line.

"Ugh, well it doesn't have eyes so that accounts for the mistake," George teased. Alice punched him but laughed.

"It was dead on on the curiosity though!" Fred jabbed.

"I do believe Mister Prongs is correct as well! She is a trouble-maker," Lee laughed.

"Would you swear on that?" George laughed. Alice grinned and assumed a pompous air, sticking her nose into the air.

"I do so solemnly swear that I am up to no good!" she ducked her head in a bow at the end.

They all laughed, but Emily gasped. The others were startled and turned to her but she just pointed at the parchment. Expecting nothing more than a few added insults, Alice and the boys quickly mirrored Emily's expression of shock.

Where previously there had been just a bit of parchment with a few handwritten insults scrawled haphazardly across, ink began to flow in delicate lines. The scrawled notes disappeared to be replaced by an elegant title page. On it was a drawing of the Hogwarts castle, complete with the Whomping Willow and everything.

"Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs are proud to present The Marauder's Map"

Alice picked her jaw up off the floor as the boys crowded around closer to her. They all peered on as Alice cautiously opened up the parchment. Simultaneously the kids gasped.

There on the parchment which had been blank for hours, was a detailed map of Hogwarts. But it wasn't a simple, still map of Hogwarts. The map was shifting just as Hogwarts castle was said to shift constantly, so that rooms weren't where they were the day before and staircases swiveled and doors disappeared. There were also little tags with moving sets of footprints.

"Look! There's Professor Snape!" Lee pointed, leaning over Alice.

Lee's finger pointed to a pacing set of footprints in the dungeons with a tag reading "Severus Snape" above them.

"And there's Percy!" Fred pointed to another set of footprints in the Gryffindor Common Room.

"So, what? This map shows the location of everything and everyone in Hogwarts?" Alice had to speak her thoughts out loud to make sure she was understanding this properly. She and Emily looked over at Fred, George, and Lee who met their gaze. Each face shared the same glint of joy and mischief.

"Wait? What's that? There's not a hall there," Emily said pointing to a passage that supposedly went through what they all knew to be a permanently solid wall. Alice glanced at George.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" she asked him, an eyebrow quirked.

"Secret passageways!" he grinned wickedly.

* * *

><p>The flapping of feet echoed through the mostly empty third floor halls. The Weasley twins, Lee, Alice, and Emily raced down the corridor and swerved down a perpendicular one. They ducked into an alcove and crowded close around the Marauder's Map that George unfolded. The kids started laughing but George shushed them.<p>

They stared intently at a pair of footprints on the map tagged "Argus Filch" whom they all knew was still mad at the Weasleys and Alice for their previous escape and further disruptions from pranks. Regardless if they were doing anything wrong, Filch would drag them back to his office to write them up. Of course, they were up to trouble right now, but Filch didn't know that.

The kids remained silent as they watched Filch's footsteps race past the hall they turned down. After he was gone a good distance, they all burst into laughter and exited the alcove.

"Okay, so where's this passageway entrance?" Fred asked, lightly backhanding his brother's arm to get his attention.

George peered at the map and pointed them down the corridor. He pointed them up some stairs which Lee tried to take two at a time. He ended up getting stuck in an almost-split as he had apparently not noticed the gradual widening of the steps until it was too late. The others pushed him up and hustled him along.

Once on the fourth floor, George guided them down the hall and to a mirror.

"This is it!" he said and grinned into the mirror.

The others stared blankly into the mirror at each other and then glanced expectantly to George.

"So… what do we do?" Alice asked.

George hastily looked back at the map. It showed them all standing around the mirror, but gave no other hints. He looked back to Alice and shrugged. A slight movement on the page redirected his attention though and he looked back at it. Now, the mirror on the map was sliding open. George grinned and, motioning to Fred to help him, stood up against the wall and pushed the mirror aside. A doorway was revealed and the kids, grinning gleefully, piled inside.

"Close the door!" Lee blustered as the group began to head down the passage.

Fred jogged back and poked his head out to look up and down the corridor before dragging the mirror back into place, hiding their path. This left them in complete darkness though and after much shoving and muffled complaints as people bumped into each other and stepped on their robes, someone managed to get a light. George had out his wand and the tip glowed, casting white light around the group.

The light seemed to wash out all color and Alice fancied that they all looked like corpses. They continued down the passage, which was narrow, forcing them all to go single-file. George took the lead and Lee brought out his wand and cast the same spell so those in the back wouldn't get lost from being outside the radius of George's light. Though they could now see ahead of them, they had no idea where they were going.

"Hey, where are we now?" Alice asked curiously, glancing up at the ceiling and walls as if they would change to resemble a room she recognized.

George peered down at the map.

"Umm… we're in between the armor gallery and the trophy room."

They all stopped and it took George a few minutes to realize no one was following him. He trotted back and looked at all of them in confusion. They had narrow eyes and glanced up at him curiously.

"Those rooms are right next to each other, there's nothing in between," Lee stated, clearly seeking an answer.

"And they're on the third floor, last time I checked we were on the fourth," Emily pointed out.

George's brow furrowed and he glanced back down at the map. Regardless, that's where it showed them. Alice was the first to shake her head and shrug.

"We're in a secret passageway in a magical castle, are y'all really surprised that it can go down a floor and between adjacent classrooms?"

Confusion, and a bit of entertainment lit their faces.

"Y'all? What is that?" Emily giggled.

Alice sighed in irritation as the others grinned.

"It is a conjugation of 'you all' guys! Please!" she grumbled.

"You know, I was starting to not notice the accent, but it's times like these I remember that you're American," Fred commented.

"I have an accent?" Alice burst. "Y'all are the ones with an accent and funny words! Not saying 'h's and 'r's and calling fries 'chips' I mean what is that?"

"Easy there Southern belle!" Lee laughed.

Alice groaned and the others laughed but they continued on.

Alice swore they were in that passageway for hours and her stomach was beginning to growl in irritation at having skipped lunch. She tried to soothe her quarrelsome stomach by denying thoughts of food, but of course because she was trying not to think about food, images of a big juicy steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, chicken alfredo, grilled mahi mahi, chocolate cake, and M&M cookies cycled through her mind's eye.

Alice was so preoccupied with battling back these thoughts that she wasn't paying attention to where she was going and walked straight into the back of Fred, who had suddenly stopped. She was immediately jolted from her concentration. She gave Fred a hard poke in the back.

"Why are we stopped?" she grumbled.

"It's a dead-end," Fred replied.

"What?" Alice blurted out in frustration.

"No!" George halted the group's outcries of irritation. "We've just come to the end of the passageway, and there's some kind of door or something, just like the mirror at the other end. Fred, Lee, help me push it open," he called back.

Alice and Emily plastered themselves against the wall to give Lee enough room to pass up to the front, but he still had to go sideways. The three boys leaned into the door with their shoulders and pushed. They seemed to be making no headway and Alice was about to suggest that it actually was a dead-end and they were trying to push open a wall, when it suddenly popped open. Fred and George managed to catch each other, but Lee flopped through the open doorway. Fred and George climbed over Lee to get out and then helped him to his feet. Alice and Emily followed them out and took stock of their surroundings, the door closing silently behind them.

They were inside some building, with wooden planks for floors, walls, and ceiling. They could hear voices drifting through the walls and light filtered in through a grimy window. A door led out to what, by the sound of it, they assumed to be an inn or bar, and shadows moved through the crack between the door and the floorboards. There were casks and boxes and shelves crowded in the room they were in, containing food stuffs, making Alice assume they were in the storage room.

"Oi! I know where we are!" Lee began but George beat him to it.

"The storage room of the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade," George said rolling up the map with a snap. Lee looked glum for a brief moment at George stealing his moment, but it was quickly replaced by excitement.

"Only third years and up are allowed to come to Hogsmeade!" Lee explained to Alice and Emily.

"Yeah, Charlie says it's awesome! We had been planning on how to sneak over here, looks like we found it!" Fred commented.

Alice suddenly shushed them all. Listening intently she heard footsteps growing closer and a shadow through the gap stopped before the door. Alice quickly shoved everyone back towards the secret passageway. Piling inside, she pulled the door closed just as the door at the other end opened, bringing with it a rush of hollers and laughter.

Alice found a hole in the wooden door and peered through to find a woman humming as she gathered a few bottles in her arms. Fingers poked at her back and tugged at her robe but she waved them away. She was so focused on keeping an eye on the woman, she guessed was a barmaid, that she hadn't paid attention to their current location.

The others had noticed it first upon being shoved inside, finding themselves in a cupboard instead of the stone passageway. The boys shrugged as Alice waved them off, figuring she'd notice eventually.

Alice's eyes widened and she shoved everyone back further into what she thought was the passageway only to push them back into a wall. Here she stopped and glanced around in confusion, but the rattling of the door handle brought her back to her senses. Whispering 'hide' to everyone, Alice ducked back behind a shelf and dropped to the floor.

Fred scrambled back behind a barrel, which Lee hopped into. Emily shrunk down behind a cask and George nearly knocked over a shelf in his haste to get behind it. Luckily, they were all out of sight by the time light pierced into the dark cupboard.

The woman was still humming and went over to the shelf that George was hiding behind. Peering at the items on the shelf she apparently wasn't finding what she sought and bent down to investigate some lower shelves. The shelves George was crouched down behind. The kids held their breath as the woman reached for a box right in front of George that, upon removal, would reveal the boy. However, her hand stopped just before grabbing the box. Her hand floated in the air for a moment before it pulled back and she called out the door.

"Hey, Ros! Where're the little umbrellas?"

"I've got 'em up here!" a voice drifted back.

The woman grumbled and straightened before proceeding out of the cupboard and shutting the door. Only then did the kids let out a collectively held breath. They waited a few moments before coming out of hiding, everyone grinning, but shaking a bit after the close call. Alice immediately returned to her previous confusion.

"So why is this a cupboard now? It was just a secret passageway, was it not?" she demanded of the others.

"I don't know, maybe we have to say something, like a spell or password to make it the passageway," Lee shrugged.

They all looked to George who turned to the map. He looked back up at them and shook his head. The map didn't have any clues for them. Sighing, the group exited the cupboard.

"So we're stuck over here," Emily stated glumly.

"Naw! I'm sure there are other passages back to the castle!" Fred grinned and put an arm around her, trying to cheer her up.

"Yeah, there's one in the cellar of Honeydukes," George confirmed.

"But on our way there, how 'bout we get some food?" Alice proposed.

The other's stomach growls agreed.

"Well, we can eat here at the Three Broomsticks," Lee suggested.

"Yeah, but this place is pretty popular, we're more likely to get caught by someone who recognized us, or just thought we looked too young. The Hog's Head though, barely any people and the few there won't ask questions," Fred said.

"Yeah, but if we go up there, people will think we're up to something, whereas if we go to the crowded place, no one will pay us any attention," Alice argued.

Although the kids could see the logic behind both, George recalled that Charlie said the Hog's Head didn't usually serve food, so they went with Alice's plan. However, they didn't want to just go right on in from the back, so the boys started looking for a way to get outside and enter from the front.

Fred, George, and Lee went over to the window and tried to open it. It was old though and didn't want to budge. While the boys struggled with the window, Alice opened the door into the inn. The boys and Emily immediately pounced on her, dragging her back inside and letting the door close.

"What are you doing? You can't go out there!" George whispered fiercely.

"If you pretend like you belong, people won't question it. Kids sneaking around are clearly up to something, but kids walking around confidently won't draw attention," Alice explained matter-of-factly.

The others didn't really like it, but seeing as they didn't have any other options they followed her lead. Alice headed out the door into the common room of the bar her head high and her eyes fixed to her goal: an open table. The others followed, though much more conspicuously, their heads bowed and trying to avoid contact. This resulted in them bumping into Alice frequently, causing her to turn around and rebuke them, but she did so jokingly so bystanders assumed they were messing with her.

Despite the others looking like a herd of cows led to slaughter, they managed to make it to the table without trouble. The kids slipped onto the benches and were promptly greeted by the woman who had almost stumbled upon them in the cupboard. The kids pretended like nothing happened. The place was crowded, so the barmaid paid little attention to the kids anyway as she was rushing through her tables.

"What'll it be?" she asked absentmindedly as a quill and notepad floated up next to her.

"Shepherd's pie and five butterbeers!" Fred ordered for them all and the quill took it down on the notepad.

The kids fished through the pockets for money and tossed it onto the table, which the barmaid swiped up and sent the coins flying over to the bar where a cash register opened and the coins deposited themselves inside, the register closing with a ring. The note tore itself from the pad and flew over to the bar where the bartender and owner, Madam Rosmerta, took a quick look and hollered out orders. The barmaid hurried along to the next table to deliver a round of drinks.

"We're gonna get caught," Emily muttered fearfully as she sat slumped on the bench.

"Well we wouldn't have gotten caught but Fred ordered alcohol! They're gonna card us!" Alice whispered fiercely.

The others looked at her in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" Lee asked.

"They need I.D. to serve alcohol, we're under-age!" she returned.

"There's no alcohol in butterbeer," George explained.

Alice raised her eyebrows and her shoulders slumped.

"Oh, well, then… just forget that little outburst," she waved it off and resumed her normal countenance. Turning to Emily, "We're not gonna get caught, no one pays attention to kids unless they're teenagers and likely to cause trouble."

Alice seemed to be proven correct as no one paid them a second glance. The barmaid delivered their food and drinks with hardly a word. The kids ate and talked but finished rather quickly. They made their way out of the inn and down the busy streets looking up at signs for the one proclaiming "Honeydukes Sweetshop."

The twins and Alice were momentarily distracted by a sign advertising "Zonko's Joke Shop" and a window displaying all kinds of strange objects like Nose-biting Teacups. Emily and Lee managed to drag them away and after that they found Honeydukes quickly. Upon entering the kids' mouths dropped.

Staring, the shop was filled with shelves upon shelves of all kinds of succulent looking candy and chocolate. They all shot off in different directions, their focus caught by a particular treat. Fred was awestruck by the array of fizzing whizbees, while Lee Jordan treated the display of exploding bon-bons like he'd discovered the Holy Grail. George was gathering armfuls of cockroach clusters and Drooble's Best Blowing Gum and anything he could get his hands on. Emily bee-lined for the Canary Creams while Alice was busy grabbing every flavor Chocoball.

The kids ending up spending half an hour in the store loading themselves up with candy. As the light started to fade outside, the kids dragged themselves from the sweets and sneaked downstairs to the cellar. The stairs creaked, but there was such a crowd up above they doubted if anyone would hear.

"Okay, there's supposedly a trap door somewhere down here," George said, peering at the Marauder's Map where a square in the floor was outlined leading to a passageway.

The floor was dusty and the room was filled with boxes and crates. The kids set to scouring the floor for the trap door. Lee peered into a box to find it filled with Pepper Imps. With a mischievous grin, he started to reach his hand inside, but a hand came out of nowhere to slap his wrist. He stared up at Emily with a hurt and surprised expression.

"No stealing!" she said sternly.

"Found it!" Fred called and the others gathered over to him where he pulled the trap door up revealing a ladder leading down into darkness.

"Lumos!" he said and the tip of his wand burst into light. Sticking his wand in his pocket, the tip poking out to still cast its light, he descended the ladder rungs. The others followed and dropped down into a dirt-floored and –walled tunnel. The group set off down the tunnel at a quick pace, trying to get back to the castle before nightfall.

Another ladder awaited them at the other end of the passageway. The group stopped beneath it to consult quickly.

"Okay, so we go up here, we'll come out on the third floor corridor, but it might be after dark so Filch or Mrs. Norris could be on the patrol. If we get caught we can't let this map fall into their hands!" Fred explained.

"Well, it was blank when you found it, there has to be a way to get it back to that!" Lee argued.

"Yeah! There's gotta be something to clear it, I mean we only figured it out because I said something based on what the insults said!" Alice agreed.

"The map has helped us with everything so far! Why not this too!" Emily asserted.

"Okay, what are some of the things the map has said?" George asked.

"Filch's office fixture!" Lee said pointing his wand to the paper.

Nothing happened.

The others raised their eyebrows at him.

"It's what one of 'em said about Alice," he shrugged then took on a defensive stance, "I don't see any of you coming up with anything!"

The kids quickly began repeating anything and everything they remembered the map insulting them with.

"Spider legs!" Alice said.

"Carrot!" Emily called.

"Hand-me-down clothes!" George ordered.

"Mischief Managed!" Fred said.

At this last the map began to disappear, as if fading through the parchment. George folded up the map and stuffed it in his robes while they all turned to Fred.

"One of them said it in Alice's insults, but I thought it sounded out of place," Fred explained.

"The hint to how to reveal the map was in Alice's insult too," Lee pointed out.

The twins rounded on Alice.

"Why does it like you?" they demanded.

"I don't know!" Alice shouted back.

"Guys! Stop! Let's just go up!" Emily's voice cut through their arguing.

The twins were surly, upset that these genius trouble-makers that made the map seemed to trust Alice with their invention over them. They went up the ladder though, coming up through a statue of a hump-backed, one-eyed witch. The corridor was lit by candles and the pale light of the moon drifting in through the windows. The twins took up positions on either side, keeping watch on each end of the corridor as the others ascended the ladder.

Emily, the last one, was just climbing out when the most dreaded sound rang through the corridor: a meow. Turning as one, the kids stared in horror at Mrs. Norris who was sitting at the end of the corridor.

"Run!" Lee shouted.

Alice grabbed Emily and dragged her out of the passage, the statue sliding back in place to hide it. The group shot off down the other side of the corridor and around the corner. They could hear a call come up through the corridor as the shuffling of feet heralded Filch's pursuit.

The group skidded down a side-corridor and raced down a staircase. Bolting out onto the second floor they searched for a hiding place. Lee found a door and the group leapt inside and slammed the door behind them. Their backs pressed against the door, the kids tried to catch their breath while they listened for their pursuer.

Alice glanced up into the room to make eye-contact with Professor Triggs who was staring at them in surprise. He was sitting behind his desk, a paper in hand and two stacks of them on the desk, one to his right and a larger one to his left. He was clearly in the middle of grading papers when the kids barged into his office in the middle of the night.

Alice tapped at the others to get their attention. Fred just waved her off and kept his ear pressed to the door. Alice persisted though.

"Guys!" she said.

The others turned to shush her, but caught the sight of Triggs who was setting the paper down. Their eyes widened and they all turned to him, assured that they were done for. Emily hung her head, staring at her shoes in shame.

"Well, hello," Triggs greeted casually.

The kids' jaws dropped. Glancing to each other, they raised their eyebrows, hoping someone would have an answer. How could the professor be so calm about this? Any of the other's would be enraged and immediately write them up.

"Beautiful night for a walk through the castle, unfortunately I'm stuck in here grading papers!" Triggs grinned. "I did it to myself of course by assigning the papers, but one must play the part one has taken on!" as he said this he picked up another paper from the stack on his right and began perusing it, writing comments in red ink with his raven feather quill pen. "Come in! Come in! It's been so boring going through these, I started talking to myself! At least now I can have someone pretend to listen to my blatherings," he grinned up at them.

The kids were shocked still, but finally jolted from their positions by the door and clumsily made their way over to the professor's desk. They stopped before his desk, looking down at it awkwardly.

"Sit! Sit!" he ordered and the kids seemed to collapse into the chairs around Triggs' desk.

They were comfortable chairs, plush with nice arm rests and supportive backs. There were at least half a dozen seats before Triggs' desk set at casual positions. Most professors had maybe two seats in front of their desk, others had no chairs or really hard ones so that you wish you were standing. Triggs' entire office seemed more like a common room than a professor's office… well, aside from the array of weapons.

Triggs' weapons case was the first thing Alice noticed upon approaching the desk. There were battle axes, broadswords, snapped wands, daggers, scimitars, spears, etc. Alice's eyes glinted, reflecting the shine of the metal weapons.

"Those are my trophies," Triggs explained upon seeing Alice's look.

She looked up at him, embarrassed that he had caught her staring. He just grinned and ducked his head, raising a hand as if to ward off disputes or mockery.

"I know! I know, how pretentious and arrogant, to keep trophies of your battles on display. But I feel bad about locking them away, like I'm trying to hide my past. I'm proud of my achievements and would never want people to think I'm ashamed of them. Plus I like to look at them, they look pretty cool!"

Alice grinned and the others even started to loosen up a bit. They were all talking when the door burst open and Filch shuffled in, blustering.

"Students! Out of bed after hours!" He spat at the kids.

The kids began to sink in their chairs, prepared to be led out by Filch and written up. Triggs was very calm and casual. Spreading his hands out to encompass the kids before him, he addressed Filch.

"These students are out at my request. It's just so boring grading papers that I needed some people to talk to, so I asked them to come to my office. I didn't realize it was so late, but I assure you I will make sure these students find their way back to their dormitories when we're done here," Triggs told Filch politely.

Filch's face reddened visibly as if struggling to contain an eruption of steam out his ears. His whole body grew rigid, feeling slighted by this young, new professor. Undermining Filch's authority and covering for these little fiends, for Filch was sure that's what Triggs was doing. However, Filch couldn't say anything, he couldn't undermine the authority of a professor, no matter how uppity and in need of a good blow to his ego he was.

"My apologies, Professor," Filch grumbled stiffly. "Let's go Mrs. Norris," he called and the cat followed him out and he shut the door behind him, but not without casting a spiteful glare at the twins and Alice. They shot it right back.

It was a few moments after Filch's departure before anyone spoke.

"Thanks, Professor! You really snatched us from the fire!" Lee proclaimed graciously.

"No problem, Mr. Jordan!" Triggs grinned.

"Oh, please, call me Lee, sir," Lee requested. Triggs nodded.

"So what were you five doing out after hours?" Triggs asked, leaning forward over his desk. He peered intently at them, his papers lying forgotten on his desk.

"Um, we just lost track of time, and we were just on our way back to Gryffindor Tower when Mrs. Norris caught us!" Fred explained, grumbling the last part. He really hated that cat.

Triggs raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. He knew the kids were doing something against the rules, but he didn't have any proof, and they were good students. Well, the boys would be if they'd put in more effort.

"Alright, don't tell me what you were up to, but I'm afraid I will have to take a few points from Gryffindor. How about… hmm, ten? Or were you breaking some major rules?" he said.

Lee sighed and the twins just kind of shrugged. Alice quirked her head and pursed her lips. Only Emily seemed sincerely concerned with having lost points for Gryffindor.

"That sounds fair," Alice admitted. Triggs nodded.

"Then it's a deal, Miss Connen. Good woman to take responsibility without complaint, a lot like your mother," Triggs added the last almost as an afterthought.

Alice straightened at the comment, immediately alert. The others seemed to straighten in their seats as well and lean forward.

"Wait, you knew my mom?" Alice asked.

"Oh, yes! We went to school together! I was two years older, but your mother knew practically everyone in school. Of course, she was a big Quidditch star, so there's that," Triggs recounted.

"Oh! Were you at the '73 final game when they won the cup?" Lee asked excitedly. He sat forward in his seat, but the twins pushed him back into it.

"What was she like?" Alice asked, quieter than the others had ever heard her speak before. Triggs expression became a bit more somber, recognizing the genuine desire to know a mother the girl couldn't remember.

"Well, from what I've seen of you so far, she was a lot like you. She was very smart, with a quick wit, and was always good for a laugh. She and Lily Evans were best friends and the favorites of every teacher. Nax was also naturally gifted at magic, getting difficult spells or potions in a matter of weeks where it would take others months,"

"Nax? I thought her name was Willamena?" Lee interrupted.

"Her name was Willamena, but she hated it. Her middle name was Anaxandra, so she took 'nax' from it and went by that," Triggs explained.

"Willamena Anaxandra Ackers, did her parents hate her or something?" Alice asked, chuckling a bit. Triggs grinned.

"It's Greek, supposedly they were interested in ancient Greece and mythology. When she wasn't hanging out with Lily, or studying, she was at Quidditch practice. That's where she got close to James Potter, the two were like brother and sister and worked well together on the field, knowing exactly where the other would be to pass the Quaffle. Of course, her worlds kind of merged with James chasing after Lily, and especially after they got married. She was in the wedding you know," Triggs reminisced.

Alice was quiet for a long time. When she did speak it was hushed.

"Sounds more like my brother than me," she stated simply.

Triggs gaze softened on her. She looked just like her mother, in physical appearance as well as the way they held themselves. Many of Alice's expressions were identical to her mother's, excepting her mischievous grin, that she must've gotten from her father. He knew her mother better than he was letting on. He and Nax had worked together, along with the Potters, and James' friends, and the others…

"You guys should really be getting to bed!" Triggs shook himself from the creeping nostalgia that always brought with it guilt, regret, and the pain of loss. Putting on a smile, he ushered them to the door. "Now, I saved you this time, but this won't become a regular thing!" he called after the kids as they exited.

Closing the door behind them, Triggs trudged back towards his desk. He dropped into his seat and ran a hand down his face. Picking up a paper, he tried to focus on it, but he just couldn't think about innovative ways to take down a goblin. Dropping the paper back onto his desk he leaned back in his chair, both hands coming up to cover his face. Dragging his hands down across his face he stared up at the ceiling, images of the past flooding his mind. Closing his eyes he fell back into memory—too many of which were painful.

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><p><strong>AN: <strong>Please leave reviews! I greatly appreciate those who have left reviews! I'd also be interested in any predictions or ideas you guys have about Triggs, Nax, etc. (I have their stories already figured out, I'm just curious about what you guys are thinking about these characters' pasts and futures)


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter etc.

**Author's Notes: **Okay, this is another long one. The beginning is pretty light and fun, but then it gets angsty. I wasn't happy dividing it up just because everything sort of happens continuously so...

Thank you to everyone sticking through this with me and I hope you enjoy!

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><p>Alice woke one morning to realize that somehow the time had flown by so that she had been at Hogwarts for two months. Halloween was tomorrow and the castle had been decorated for weeks. Jack-o-lanterns floated in the Great Hall alongside the candles, carved into an array of mythical creatures as well as the faces of some of the professors. Alice's favorite was the one of Snape; if any of them were to scare little kids away it would be that one.<p>

Flitwick fulfilled everyone's dreams in the next Charms class as he announced they would begin learning to make things fly! Alice couldn't wait and bounced in her seat as Flitwick put them into pairs and gave each pair a feather. Alice was paired with Liz, which was fine but she had been hoping to be partners with Emily who was, in all honesty, her best friend. This admission shocked Alice herself a bit as she had never expected to get along with, let alone befriend, the peppy little girl when they had first met.

Cormac McLaggen and his friend Robbie Sawyer were partners and sat next to Liz and Alice. Why Flitwick put them together Alice had no clue because after a few failed attempts, they quit doing what they were supposed to be doing and instead became nuisances. Cormac was currently tickling Robbie with the feather as Robbie jolted and squirmed in his seat trying to avoid him. He ended up bumping into Liz just as she was trying to cast the spell on her feather. This caused Liz's wand to hit the feather, instantly lighting it aflame. The fire consumed the feather in a matter of seconds and left it a blackened skeleton on Alice and Liz's desk.

The boys immediately stopped their wrestling and stared open-mouthed along with the girls at the burnt husk. Alice raised her hand, gaining Flitwick's attention.

"Professor, we could use another feather," she requested.

"What happened?" He asked in shock, coming up to inspect the ashes. He flicked his wand above the feather's remains and they were swept up and directed by Flitwick's wand into the bin.

"Ask them," Liz glared at Cormac and Robbie.

Flitwick gave the boys a disapproving glance and clicked his tongue. With a flick of his wand, the feather Cormac was still holding was plucked from his hand and floated over to rest on the girls' desk.

"If you two boys aren't going to use your feather properly maybe these girls can get better use out of it!" Flitwick explained.

The girls cast the boys triumphant looks as the boys glowered and shrunk down into their seats. Robbie punched Cormac in the arm for getting them in trouble. Cormac returned the punch, seeing it as Robbie's squirming that got them in trouble. This quickly escalated as the boys got into a scuffle at their desk.

Alice and Liz rolled their eyes. Robbie hit his elbow on the desk and the battle was paused momentarily as he whimpered in pain. Once the throbbing ceased however, he dragged Cormac into a headlock. Alice sighed and flicked her wand at the boys' stools. They wobbled and toppled over, depositing the boys in a heap of tangled limbs on the floor.

The rest of the class turned at the 'thud' while Alice and Liz focused on their work. Flitwick and the other students stared open-mouthed as Robbie popped back up into sight, holding up a hand.

"We're good! All good! We're fine!" he declared with a grin.

Cormac struggled up shortly after and cast a glare over at Liz and Alice. The girls didn't even turn to look at them. Alice held out her hand, palm up under the desk and Liz slapped it.

"What was that, Connen?" Cormac demanded, pouncing on her after class. Alice never missed a step and pushed past him. He continued after her, practically tripping on her heels.

"What was what?" Alice tossed back over her shoulder carelessly.

"That thing you pulled in class!" Cormac blustered.

"Hmm, you gotta be more specific, I did a lot of stuff in class. For one thing, I actually participated in class and successfully made my feather fly!" Alice grinned.

"You mean my feather! Flitwick gave you ours because you're a teacher's pet!" Cormac whined.

Alice stopped so abruptly and turned to face Cormac that he nearly ran right over her.

"If actually doing what the teacher asks makes me a teacher's pet than I would gladly rather be that than the pathetic, immature mess I see before me," Alice stated matter-of-factly. The other students gasped.

"Oooh, burn!" Thomas laughed.

As soon as Alice finished speaking she turned back around and continued on her way, leaving Cormac staring after her in outraged shock. Alice grinned triumphantly as she heard the other students laugh appreciatively at her insult. In just two months Cormac had already proven to everyone that he and his friends were a group of immature, pretentious brutes that enjoyed picking on those smaller than them and instructing everyone on the proper way to do everything.

Passing Emily, who was walking with Katie and Leanne, Alice waved to her but didn't join the girls. She had to go put the finishing touches on a surprise for Fred and George. After that they were going to go exploring with the Marauder's Map some more. They had found all the secret passageways on the map but hadn't yet had the opportunity to explore a few of them because the boys had been really busy with Quidditch practice. With all the practicing the team was doing, Alice thought they had better win this year!

The twins had History of Magic for another hour, so Alice had time to head up to her dormitory to grab some last minute things. Fumbling through her trunk, she finally found her air horn on the bottom along with a bag of balloons and her box of bang snaps. She then tracked down some black paper, duct tape, a cardboard box, and clear nail polish, the latter she had to borrow from Emily.

By the time she left, it looked like a tornado had torn through the place, but Alice had what she needed from her room. Going down the stairs proved treacherous as she could hardly see over her pile of things. She safely made it down though and continued to the History of Magic classroom.

Finishing there, she went to the bathrooms, pausing at the boy's bathroom door before sneaking in. Luckily no one was in there and Alice went ahead and planted her trap in every toilet just to be safe. She then headed down to the kitchens which Fred and George had showed to her a few weeks into the school year. Ever since they had been sneaking down there for after-hours snacks provided by the house-elves. Here she was flooded with aid and managed to have her pranks prepared in half the time she expected.

Alice made her way back to the History of Magic class, her arms now empty, and took up a spot against the wall opposite of the door to the classroom. After just a few minutes of waiting, she heard shuffling emanate from the classroom as the students gathered up their things. Plugging her fingers into her ears, Alice waited for the door to swing open. It burst open and students raced out, but stopped immediately upon a blaring horn bouncing off the walls. Covering their ears the students continued on their way. Fred and George were two of the last out and grinned at Alice's disappointed face.

"You should've known we wouldn't be the first ones out!" Fred mocked.

"Maybe next time, kid!" George teased, mussing her hair.

Alice swatted his hand away.

"It was worth a shot," she grumbled and pulled a red foil-wrapped candy out of her pocket.

Unwrapping it she popped the chocolate into her mouth. The twins' eyes had been caught by the candy and they held out their hands expectantly.

"What? I'm not gonna give you my chocolate!" Alice scoffed.

The twins' eyes seemed to grow and glitter like the eyes of sad puppies. Alice checked a smirk and, sighing dramatically, grabbed the other two candies out of her pocket. The boys didn't seem to notice that these candies were wrapped in blue-foil. They tore the foil off and popped the chocolate squares into their mouths.

The group continued down the corridor, heading for the stairs. The twins were laughing and joking, until they both slowed their steps. Their faces grimaced and scrunched up in discomfort. Clutching at their stomachs they looked at each other before glaring at Alice. They were _conveniently_ right by the bathrooms and both boys took off. They barreled towards the boy's bathroom door and disappeared inside.

Alice took up a position by the window outside the bathroom doors.

"One, two, three…" she counted aloud and was interrupted by a girl's scream.

The boys raced back outside the door and into the other one, never noticing Alice's grin.

"Five, four, three, two, one," she pointed at the door as she ended her countdown and heard a cacophony of bangs and snaps, accompanied by shouts of surprise. Laughing out loud, Alice clutched at her abdomen and sat on the window sill to catch her breath.

It was several minutes before the twins emerged. Their faces red and glowering.

"All good?" Alice asked casually. Two identical glares were her response.

"I have welts from _something _exploding under the toilet seats!" Fred glared.

"And for some reason the soap wouldn't lather," George directed angrily at Alice.

"Really? That's strange? Filch must've gotten a new kind," she smiled innocently.

"You're a bloody little devil," Fred declared. Alice simply grinned.

The group began to continue on but Alice halted and raced back to the History of Magic classroom. She returned to where the twins were waiting for her, carrying the air horn with duct tape still stuck to the bottom.

"Almost forgot my decoy!" Alice laughed, blaring the horn in Fred's ear.

He swatted her away as she laughed. The twins turned away and walked down the corridor ahead of her.

"Come on guys! You've got to admit that was pretty fantastic! And Muggle tricks to boot!" Alice sang as she chased after them.

She and the twins spent a few hours exploring a secret passageway on the Marauder's Map, but they made sure to be back before dark as it was Alicia's birthday and everyone was celebrating in the Gryffindor Common Room after dinner. Alice briefly met up with Emily again for dinner. Here she confirmed a few details with Emily and the girls made a quick detour to the kitchens before returning to the Common Room.

The Common Room was a flurry of noise and activity. It seemed everyone had come out to celebrate with Alicia even though she was only a second year and half of the Gryffindors didn't know her personally. But hey, it was a party, and they were told there would be cake!

Alice and Emily entered with a tray of caramel apples and were thus welcomed warmly by everyone. Passing out caramel apples, the girls gradually made their way over to their friends. Fred and George glanced disconsolately at the board tracking the points in the Prank War. Alice had gained a considerable lead after her stunt earlier that afternoon. Nevertheless the twins grinned and welcomed her and Emily and certainly helped themselves to some caramel apples, which Emily handed to them.

"Happy Birthday, Alicia!" Alice greeted the girl warmly.

Suddenly the twins started spluttering and coughing. They had both taken huge bites out of their caramel apples, which had fallen to the floor. Picking them up before the caramel stuck to the floor, Alice set them back on the tray. The bite marks revealed a layered inside: they were caramel-covered onions.

"What? You don't like 'em? I had the house elves make those two special for you guys!" Alice grinned as the kids around them burst into laughter.

Lee chuckled as he added three more points to Alice's score.

A commotion broke out in the center of the room and made its way over to Alicia. All the students broke out singing 'For She's a Jolly Good Fellow' as Angelina carried a cake over to Alicia. She set it down on the coffee table in front of Alicia and after the song finished, Alicia blew out the candles. Everyone cheered and Angelina took up the knife to cut the cake.

"Whoa! Wait a minute! May I do the honors?" Fred asked.

Angelina shrugged and handed the knife over to Fred. Fred missed the smirk Angelina, Alicia, and Alice exchanged, but George caught it.

"No! Don't!" He shouted and leapt for Fred, but he was too late.

Fred stabbed into the cake.

A loud popping echoed through the Common Room, causing everyone to jump, followed by a splatter as the cake exploded onto Fred and George. The room erupted into laughter as the twins wiped whip cream from their faces. Looking down at the cake, they found just half of a cardboard box with the broken remains of a balloon and a mess of whipped cream.

Everyone was high-fiving Alice. The twins turned to look over at her and the room grew quiet. Alice drew herself up proudly, in preparation for their outburst. The twins looked at her in silence a moment, then turned to look at each other, whipped cream streaked down their faces and covering their fronts and in their hair… and burst out laughing.

The room joined them, and it was Fred who went over and added ten points to Alice's score.

"Okay! Now, here's the real cake!" Lee called out to the crowd, pulling a box from behind his seat.

The party lasted well into the night, or would it be considered morning by that point? Alice was too tired to think about it as she flopped into her bed. It seemed she had just hit the pillow when Emily was once more waking her up, with a bright smile to rival the rising sun. Alice shielded her eyes from the glare, from which source she wasn't quite sure.

Alice, as well as the majority of Gryffindor House, looked like a zombie. The extent of her speech for the first several hours of wakefulness was grunts and groans. Emily meanwhile was her usual chipper self despite getting less than six hours of sleep, which Alice considered the minimum to be able to function. Alice herself preferred to be safe and get at least eight hours.

Alice held her head in her hands over her bowl of oatmeal at breakfast as Emily chattered on. She didn't seem to care that half her audience was dead to the world.

"Wasn't that so much fun last night? I met so many new people, well I had seen them around of course, but I hadn't actually met them, well, until last night that is! Everyone in Gryffindor must've been there! Oh! Do you remember when Fred and George smashed Percy's face into his cake! That was so funny! Although Percy did seem quite peeved about it, I think the twins should probably apologize, I mean he is their brother," Emily rambled as she took delicate bites out of an apple.

Alice hadn't quite gathered enough energy to utilize her full vocabulary, otherwise she would've quickly disabused Emily of her last misguided notion. Emily was so optimistic and nice, she probably never got mad at anyone! She clearly didn't understand the dynamic of the Weasley brothers. Percy was a stiff-necked do-gooder who couldn't stand his younger brothers' tricks and pranks which he considered juvenile, while the twins loved tormenting Percy and honestly probably saw it as their way of showing affection to their older brother. They would never apologize and Percy probably wouldn't believe them if they did.

Alice trudged along behind Emily to classes. Alice was lucky she sat with Emily in all of her classes, as Emily would nudge her awake every time a professor looked over at them or came near their desk. Other students weren't so lucky and the teachers quickly connected the dots and watched for nodding heads and listened for snores. These unfortunate snoozers were quickly called out.

Professor McGonagall actually lectured their class for the majority of the time. She said she was so disappointed and ashamed to be head of a house that would be so careless about their studies. She ended up taking away the most points of any of the other professors. If Gryffindor had gathered any sort of lead they lost all of it that day. The Gryffindor hourglass lost so many rubies so fast that a few of the other houses thought someone was messing with it illegally. How could a house lose so many points in one day?

By lunch time, Alice was fighting a nasty headache. Unfortunately for her throbbing head, every other student was animated and loud, excited that today was Halloween. Going through the corridors was like torture with all the laughter and shouting and high-pitched voices of children. Alice decided, in that moment, that an apocalypse, right then and there, would be preferable to ever having to hear another human voice again.

Emily didn't seem to have gotten the memo, as she prattled on ceaselessly all throughout lunch. Alice managed to force some food down and this seemed to mildly satisfy the little man that was hammering on her skull as his strikes grew lighter and more infrequent. Alice spent the rest of lunch with her head resting on the table, her arms blocking all light from reaching her eyes. This seemed to help so that she didn't want to strangle Emily on the way to Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Normally Alice would be excited going to DADA; Prof. Triggs was by far the coolest and most interesting teacher. He always had fun things planned for all his classes. But Alice just wasn't feeling doing work today. She just wanted to curl into her sock drawer and sleep for days.

"Hellooo ladies and gentlemen!" Triggs' voice blared throughout the classroom like at a wrestling tournament.

Alice's head shot up off the desk, her ears ringing, and looked around wildly. She saw that practically every other student was doing the same, and directed her attention to Prof. Triggs who was at the top of the stairs at the back of the class that led up to his office on the third floor. He had his wand pressed against his neck, which apparently had caused his voice to sound like it was coming through a microphone. Triggs appeared startled by his students' reactions and quickly pulled his wand away.

Hopping two steps at a time, he was on the classroom floor in two seconds and swept up to the front of the room.

"Gosh! What's up with you all? You look like Inferi," he chuckled.

When no one laughed at his little joke he coughed, clearing his throat.

"Well! Look alive boys and girls! 'Cause we've got an exciting day planned!" Triggs exclaimed.

Groans echoed throughout the room.

"Professor, can we just get the day off? Can this just be like nap class?" Thomas mumbled from the back as his eyelids drooped and his head drifted into his hand.

"What? No! What do you kids need sleep for? I haven't slept in days and I'm perfectly fine!" Triggs rattled on, his hand dramatically shook and he made a show of grabbing it with his other hand to stop it. His grin faltered as no one even noticed his joke. "Seriously? What is wrong with you guys?" he asked seriously, his hands slapping onto his desk and his upper body leaning over it.

"Alicia's party… really late… exploding cake…" Katie Bell's sentence faded in and out as she tried to stay awake but gradually got closer and closer to leaning against Leanne. A tired chuckle fluttered through the room as the students remembered Alice's prank.

"Oh, yeah… that was funny…" Robbie murmured, a sleepy grin across his face.

Triggs stared around the classroom as the students gradually fell asleep. Well, except for Emily, Leanne, and Joff Taylor who were glancing between their sleeping friends and back up at the professor. They shrugged but didn't have any solutions for Prof. Triggs.

Suddenly, Triggs leapt off like a fire had been lit under him. He raced behind the staircase and the students that were awake could hear clatters and thuds. He reappeared carrying a medium sized cage with a black cloth over it. Setting it noisily down on the first student's desk, he looked around to the three students that were awake. He held a finger up to his lips, telling them to stay quiet as he grabbed hold of the black cloth.

Ripping the black cloth off of the cage, a piercing laugh cut through the air. Every head raised to look at the creature within the cage. It looked like a little elf-type creature and it continued to laugh. All the students were drawn to the strange laugh and every student leaned in their seats towards the creature, their eyes transfixed.

Just before the first kid got up to head for the cage, Triggs replaced the cloth over the cage, cutting off the laugh and turning it into a wail of disappointment. The kids immediately shook their heads as if waking from a dream. Triggs whisked the cage off to the back of the room and, opening a door beneath the staircase, he tossed the cage inside and slammed the door, effectively blocking out any further sounds from the creature.

Turning back to the kids, who were all blinking and looking around in confusion, Triggs strutted back to stand before his desk.

"Now that I've got your attention! I have a special treat for you all today!" Triggs announced and whipped a cloth off of a standing bird cage.

Alice now felt fully awake somehow and glanced at the cage before focusing on the professor. She raised her hand, her eyebrow quirked in confusion.

"Professor? What was that thing you tossed in the closet?" Alice asked.

"That, Miss Connen, was an Erkling! Little elf-like creatures native to Germany. Quite rare, they're actually protected! Strange seeing as how they eat children, but that's the ministry for you!" Triggs explained, clapping his hands together.

"It eats children?" Thomas repeated, shocked and fearful.

"What did it do to us?" Alice asked curiously.

"It _eats_ _children_?!" Thomas raised his voice this time.

"Yes, Mister Ward, it eats children, and its laugh, which woke you all up, is particularly entrancing to children so as to lead you to them to devour you!" Triggs grinned.

Thomas was still in shock that the creatures ate children and that Professor Triggs just had one lying around the classroom where he taught children! Alice and most of the class had already moved on though, and now directed their attention to the cage, where they saw movement. A furry creature that looked a lot like a ferret but bigger rose up into view.

"Eh, what are you all looking at?" the ferret-thing grumbled.

The kids gasped. Triggs laughed and poked some food through the cage bars. The ferret-thing quickly snatched it up and started chewing on it.

"This is a jarvey! As you have observed, it looks like an overgrown ferret, and yes, it can talk. Although the majority of its vocabulary is insults and rude phrases," Triggs explained.

"Nasty buggers! And I thought gnomes were ugly!" the jarvey said.

The students laughed. Sure it was insulting them, but it was a ferret that only spoke in insults! Alice desperately wanted to know where she could get one.

"Hey, Chuckles! Can it will ya!" the jarvey squeaked irritably at Cole.

This threw the children into further fits of laughter as the jarvey spouted off rude phrases. Triggs sprayed the jarvey with a spray bottle at this, cautioning the creature to keep it clean. This simply caused the jarvey to turn its insults onto Triggs, much to the students' mirth.

After a few minutes of entertainment from the jarvey, Triggs re-covered the cage and taught the kids a few spells to use on the jarvey. One was supposed to silence the jarvey, making any words he tried to speak come out as a squeak. Unfortunately, when Triggs removed the cloth and had Cormac try out this spell, it just made the jarvey louder and its insults blared so loudly they swore the walls shook.

Instead of remedying the situation immediately, Triggs set the kids to try to shut the jarvey up in other ways. Giving no clear instructions, he left them to try anything to silence the jarvey. A few kids tried the spell Triggs had taught, but it only worked for a few seconds before fading and returning the jarvey's voice to extreme levels. Finally Alice couldn't take it anymore.

"Shut up, you furrball!" she snapped at the jarvey. It halted its insulting of Leanne and turned to look at Alice.

"Oh yeah? And what'll you do about it, hag?" the jarvey squeaked. Alice laughed, it just sounded so adorable that the indignant and insulting tone just couldn't compete. The jarvey looked injured by her laughter.

"Hey! What're you doing? Stop it!"

Alice just laughed harder and the jarvey spun around in its cage and started frantically spitting out insults and rude phrases. It's voice cracked and the jarvey coughed.

"Hey, look! The furrball's got a furrball! Hack it up and maybe your voice won't break like a boy going through puberty!" Alice grinned. The other girls and Triggs roared with laughter while the boys looked almost as insulted as the jarvey did.

It didn't have a response to this and sat there looking frustrated as it spluttered and made indignant squeaks. It finally gave up and curled up into a ball, turning its head away from the students. Triggs applauded Alice.

"Excellent work, Miss Connen! When magic fails, turn to simpler means and just throw words at it! Clever, successful, and entertaining!" he congratulated.

Alice rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide her pleased grin.

Triggs spent the rest of the class helping the kids get the silencing spell down, and then told them about other, more dangerous creatures that this would prove a valuable defense against.

"Banshees for example! Or, if Mister Ward is still concerned about them, it would also work on erklings," Triggs grinned.

Thomas rolled his eyes but laughed with the rest of the kids.

As always, class seemed to end too soon but everyone left grinning and wide awake. Alice gathered up her books and headed off after Emily, but was held back.

"Miss Connen?" Triggs called.

Alice turned and approached Prof. Triggs. He had an unusually solemn expression on his face, but tried to hide it with a strained smile.

"Could I see you in my office at three o'clock this afternoon?" he said it as a question, but when a teacher asked for a student to meet them in their office, it wasn't a request.

"Uh, sure, professor," Alice replied. Triggs smiled and shooed her away as he prepared for his next class.

Emily had waited outside the classroom for Alice and the two joined up and headed down the corridor. Alice had a concerned expression on her face, which Emily immediately picked up on. She nudged Alice with her elbow.

"What was that about?" Emily asked.

"He wants to see me in his office," Alice answered. "Do you think I'm in trouble? Did I do something wrong in class? What if my homework was so bad he thinks I'm not cut out for the class?" Alice rambled worriedly.

Emily slapped Alice on the arm. Alice clutched at her arm as it stung painfully. She gasped at Emily, but then realized that Emily had shaken her from a downward spiral of nonsensical worries. She nodded.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it! I'm sure it's nothing, maybe it's something good! Like, that you're so good in class you get to skip the exam or something!" Emily chirped.

"Now you're getting my hopes up," Alice laughed, though the thought was ridiculous.

Alice stopped before the door to Professor Triggs' office and drew in a deep breath. She had never been called to a teacher's office before. Having no idea what to expect, Alice had been practicing acting meek just in case it was something bad and she needed to appear contrite. Releasing her breath, Alice gathered up her nerve and knocked firmly on the door.

Well, she had intended to knock firmly, it ended up being really faint and hesitant sounding and she briefly wondered if he could even hear it. She was just raising her hand to knock again when the door opened. She hastily dropped her hand in embarrassment and grinned up at the professor.

"Ah! Alice! Yes, come in, come in!" Triggs seemed distracted and hardly looked at her.

Alice dropped her smile and quirked her lips suspiciously as he stepped out of the way for her to enter the office. Once she was inside he shut the door and returned to his seat behind his desk. Alice couldn't help but notice that he was more fidgety than normal. Triggs seemed to notice it too as he looked at his fingers drumming nervously on the desk and quickly withdrew his hand from his desk.

"Well, um, thank you for coming to meet with me… I, um, wanted to—"

"Am I in trouble?" Alice broached the subject, seeing as how Triggs was having difficulty facing it.

Triggs' brows shot towards his hairline, his eyes wide, and mouth gaped open a bit in surprise.

"Good heavens! No! Nothing of the sort! You're one of my best students!" Triggs exclaimed.

"Okay, then why am I here?" Alice asked simply.

While Triggs kept trying to avoid eye contact, Alice was intent on establishing it. She figured that if she could just grab his gaze for a second he would finally get to the point. She proved successful, as Triggs glanced over at her and caught her eye for a split second. In that split second he seemed to shrink and age several years. Alice leaned forward a bit in her chair.

Triggs rubbed at his temples before dragging his hand down his face. He sighed and turned to look at Alice. But it didn't seem he was really seeing her. Suddenly he sat forward in his chair and leaned his elbows on the desk.

"I went to school with your mother, years ago!" he began.

"You told me that already," Alice stated.

"Yes, I know, but I didn't tell you the whole story. Nax, your mother, was two years younger than me and I was in Ravenclaw."

Alice's eyes widened at this. She was surprised to learn that Triggs had been in Ravenclaw. She had just always assumed he had been in Gryffindor because, well, because he was fun and brave! A voice in her head, which sounded suspiciously like Jason, nagged at her for stereotyping. Her brother was in Ravenclaw and although he was generally a pain and a nag, all of her best memories were doing fun stuff with him, and he was certainly brave, I mean, he wasn't even afraid of flying!

"I actually played on the Quidditch team, I was the Keeper and I hated your mother. Here comes this tiny, second-year girl that just blows past the defenders and then tricks me with a fake and scores on me in her first ever game! I felt slighted and we kind of started a bit of a rivalry between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, where it's usually Gryffindor and Slytherin. Anyway, it wasn't until my seventh year, her fifth, that we made a truce and actually became friends. As I told you before, she was close with Lily Evans and James Potter before the two ever started dating. When they did start dating, the two groups united and she and Sirius became particularly close," Triggs' face was shadowed with memories and when he looked at Alice, he wasn't really looking at her. Maybe he was seeing her mom, Alice had been told she looked just like her.

"Remember when I told you, in the first Defense Against the Arts class, about the Dark Lord and Harry Potter?" Triggs asked. Alice nodded

"Well, the Dark Lord was around when your mother and I were in school. He was gaining in power, and gathering followers called Death Eaters. Those were dark times, it was common for people to go missing, Muggles being killed, dark creatures coming out of hiding and causing trouble. He was forming an army, trying to start a war.

"So, what happens when one side rises up to threaten the system, others rise up to stop them. That's what happened, this society was formed, an order, and that's what we did, we fought the growing dark forces. I joined immediately after graduating and that's when things started getting really bad so that by the time your mother and her friends graduated we needed all the help we could get and they joined too. It wasn't even a question for them, regardless of the risk they knew what would happen if people did nothing."

Goosebumps were forming on Alice's skin and she absentmindedly rubbed her arms to get rid of them.

"I fought alongside your mother for a few years before she returned to the U.S. Dark forces were gathering there too, and your mother went to help. She had been seeing your father for some time by that point, but it wasn't until she returned that they got engaged. When we got that news we knew we probably wouldn't see her again. She was starting a family, who would go to another country to risk their life when they had a family to protect and care for? She sent us pictures and letters, I remember the one she sent when you and your brother were born," Triggs smiled at Alice.

"Dumbledore told her that your names had appeared in the book, and he couldn't wait until you two came to Hogwarts."

"Dumbledore knew my mom?" Alice interrupted.

"He was headmaster when she was at school, and he was also involved in the Order that was fighting the Death Eaters. He knew your mother very well."

"Okay, you're telling me that my parents knew I was magic and that I'd come here, and you say that she had all these really close friends, but my dad never talked about any of them! Where were they when my mom disappeared? Where were they when we were orphaned?" Alice demanded angrily.

"I'm getting to that," Triggs replied sadly.

He stared down at his fingers and fiddled with a ring. He sighed and looked up to the ceiling where Alice swore she saw tears in his eyes. When he looked back at her though, they were gone and his eyes were cold and dry.

"Lily and James married, and they had a little boy, a year after you and your brother were born. Sirius was named godfather, and your mother godmother. The boy's name was Harry, Harry Potter. We got word that the Dark Lord was after Harry. Dumbledore knew why, but he didn't tell us then, he never told us! I had to investigate on my own to find out about a prophecy the Dark Lord thought foretold of Harry defeating him. Anyway, the order worked on trying to protect the Potters. We couldn't tell Nax about any of it for fear of our communication getting intercepted. She was in the dark while her best friends were facing their worst nightmare.

"We hid the Potters from the Dark Lord, but they were betrayed by… by one of our own. The Dark Lord found them and he… he killed James and Lily, and tried to kill Harry, but I told you that part. Anyway," Triggs waved the thought away.

"At this point, Nax had been keeping up with us through the news, and she saw about her friends. She came back immediately. She was godmother of Harry and if Sirius couldn't take him she was prepared to take him back to raise him with her family. Sirius went crazy and went after another of our member's, one of his old friends Peter, but Nax went after Sirius to try to stop him. After that… I don't know what happened, but your mother disappeared. She could've been injured in the blast that killed Peter, or another of its casualties, but we didn't find anything… or she could've escaped the blast and then gotten picked up by Death Eaters, I honestly don't know, and that's almost worse," Triggs hung his head.

"Yeah, I know," Alice grumbled.

Triggs looked up at her, the tears in his eyes visible now. He started to reach across the table to her, but thought better of it. Alice glared at her shoes, fighting back a lump in her throat.

"You talk about it being hard not knowing, but you knew more than I ever did! I didn't even know about magic until this year and that was a major part of both my parents' lives! And I thought it was all awesome pranks and making things fly but now I see that it's just another thing people use against each other to cause pain! Now I get why my father gave it up! He wanted to shield us from just another source of pain," Alice ranted angrily.

"Alice," Triggs began. He hadn't meant to hurt her, that had never been his intent, he just thought she should know all that he did. It was her mother after all, and Triggs suspected too much had been kept from this girl and her brother.

Alice wasn't willing to be comforted though and stood up.

"Thanks for telling me the truth," she muttered as she stalked out of the room.

Triggs could only stare after her until the door slammed shut.

Alice was angry. Not at Triggs. At least he had told her what he knew. He didn't hide the truth, he laid it all out there. No, she was mad at everyone else. At her dad from hiding this whole other world her whole life. At her extended family for going along with it. At Dumbledore for knowing all along and never trying to intervene or explain once she got here. I mean, he was the headmaster, shouldn't he have been the one to tell her about her mom instead of Triggs?

But she was especially mad at her mom.

For having such a great life, for being so brave and loyal, for disappearing, causing all of it to be hidden from her children. Her mom was the reason Alice and Jason had been denied a part of themselves. Her disappearance crushed Alice's dad and denied this world of wonders, dangers too, but the wonders were weightier in Alice's mind, from her children.

Alice wasn't paying any attention to where she was going. She could hear people milling around and vaguely thought she heard someone calling at her, but she ignored everything. Her eyes glued to the floor, Alice stalked throughout the castle.

She finally came to a stop, finding herself in an empty classroom she had never been in before. It was dark in the classroom, there weren't any candles lit and the sun was setting outside the windows. Alice didn't even bother with the light spell she had learned from Lee, Fred, and George.

The room was completely empty aside from a large mirror at one end of the room. Alice just sat on the floor, curling her legs up in front of her chest and hugging them close to her. Resting her chin on her knees, Alice just sat there and went over everything Triggs had told her.

Her mom had fought against the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters. Alice was upset, but that didn't stop her from appreciating the coolness of the name: Death Eaters; that was so awesome! Her mom had been a regular action movie hero, fighting to save the world from evil alongside her friends.

Had certain things been different, Alice may have grown up with the boy Harry Potter, with him as another brother. She had to admit she liked the idea. Maybe he would've been more athletic and troublesome like her; that would've been fun!

She could've grown up with magic. She wouldn't have to be playing catch up, trying to learn spells the other kids had learned years ago from their parents. She could've gone to that legendary quidditch game her uncle was in! Wouldn't that have been fun to rub in Lee's, Fred's, and George's faces! She would actually know first-hand how awesome her family was in the Wizarding World instead of having to learn it all from random people.

But then, magic would have been commonplace. It would seem normal, every-day as opposed to wondrous and exciting, like it was now. She wouldn't be awestruck by magical creatures, or making things fly, if she had grown up with it. Growing up as a Muggle, she could appreciate the wonder of the Wizarding World. She guessed she should be grateful for that at least.

A few tears trickled out, and Alice decided this was enough wallowing in a ball on the floor. She got up and paced about the room. She screamed out loud, just to let out all the frustration she felt from this whole thing! Her voice echoed eerily and she looked around nervously.

Halting, Alice could've sworn she saw movement at the other end of the room. She crept nearer, making her footsteps ghostly quiet. There was nothing on the other side of the room but the mirror. Maybe there was someone else in here and they were hiding behind the mirror!

Alice went up to and looked behind the mirror, but there was nothing but cobwebs back there. Going back around to the mirror, Alice inspected it a bit more, purely out of curiosity.

Walking up to the mirror, she peered into it. Alice watched her reflection as she walked towards the center of the mirror. She stopped and inspected the frame which was beautiful and extravagant. Words were carved into the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on woshi.

Alice stood transfixed as she read the inscription. She reached out a hand and ran her fingers down the side of the mirror. She slowly brought her gaze back to her reflection but jumped back. She had been standing right there, alone, by herself and the mirror had been reflecting that, but now it showed four people. Alice looked over her shoulder.

No one was there. She then turned back to the mirror and inspected the reflection. She was there, but so was her brother and her father, and...

"Mom," she whispered recognizing the woman in the mirror from the old photos, and because the woman looked just like Alice.

Her mother smiled back at her, they were all smiling. Then more people stepped into the mirror from the sides. It was her aunt, uncle and cousins. Her mom and her aunt hugged then her mom hugged Uncle Alex. Everyone retreated further into the mirror a bit and started talking animatedly, like before her dad and uncle died, only it was still a broken family then. Now it was whole. Another kid joined the picture. The reflection Alice ruffled his hair as he came to stand next to her and her mom kissed the top of his head before wrapping him up in a hug.

"A little brother," Alice whispered to herself.

"Hello, Alice."

Alice jumped three feet into the air and wheeled around. There sat the headmaster. "Oh, I'm sorry headmaster, I'm not supposed to be here," Alice said hastily.

"Oh, no, you're fine. The Mirror of Erised is not off-limits, although I would advise you against visiting it again," the aged headmaster replied in that gentle, kindly voice of his.

Alice was about to ask why but staring at the picture of the happy, complete family, she answered herself. "Because it shows what could have been." Her hand reached out to touch the surface of the glass.

"No," Dumbledore stated.

Alice turned and raised her eyebrows. The headmaster chuckled softly and continued.

"The Mirror of Erised does not show the future or what could have been had circumstances differed, it shows only the deepest desires of you heart." He explained.

Alice turned back to the mirror. The picture was perfect, her heart ached as she watched it. Part of her wished she could stare at it forever since she'd never have it in real life.

"It's a trap," she said quietly, mostly to herself. "A trap for everyone. Especially the ones that have lost something. The mirror taunts your heart by showing it what it wants but your brain knows that it can never be. So people waste their time staring into the mirror at what they desire most and forget to actually live," Alice said.

"Exactly," Dumbledore said, nodding and smiling. "You are a wise young girl," he said.

"No," Alice replied. "I mean," she said turning to the headmaster. "My brother, Jason, he's the smart one, not me," she explained.

"Wisdom is different from intelligence. The smartest people are not necessarily wise."

"What's the difference?" Alice asked.

"It's not one that I can explain to you." Dumbledore smiled.

He stood up and left the room. Alice stood there staring after him. She had forgotten that she was mad at him too for keeping things from her. That is, until he left, but she found she couldn't hold on to the anger. He was a strange old man, no doubt about it. But Alice liked him.

She turned once more to look at the Mirror of Erised. Her mother smiled warmly at her, but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. Alice reached out to the mirror once more, resting her hand against the glass. Her mother raised her hand to place it where Alice's hand rested. Alice's lips tightened and after just one last moment, she turned away and exited the room. She never looked back and would never come back to this room except when Fred and George later came to investigate, but even then Alice never left the doorway.

She realized as she was walking back to the Great Hall, her growling stomach told her it was nearly dinner time, that Dumbledore had been in that room for his own reason. Did he go just to stare into the mirror at his deepest desire? She wondered what he saw, what image drew him to stare into the mirror. She did feel a twinge of sympathy for the headmaster, as it seemed very likely that he went to the mirror regularly. Alice shook her head.

It did not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>So, Alice is faced with some difficult revelations in this chapter, but she comes out better for it. She finds the Mirror of Erised and interacts a bit with Dumbledore but I don't think I'm gonna have much more further interactions between the two... I don't know I see the interest he takes in Harry as special and not something that is to be shared with other students, thereby lessening the importance of his mentoring Harry. Triggs is gonna act as Alice's mentor this year and he is already a more open one than Dumbledore ever was, partly because he is an investigator type and doesn't like to hide the truths he discovers. Just think if only Triggs had taught at Hogwarts when Harry came :) haha!

Anyway, I'd love some feedback on your thoughts of where the story's going, relationships, characters you think should be further included, etc., so leave reviews or message me!

Anyone notice the AVPM reference? If you haven't seen A Very Potter Musical (and Sequel and Senior Year) go watch them, they're on youtube, done by Starkid, and they're fabulous! I'll throw in some more references as the story progresses fyi.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Notes: **First off, I am so sorry this one took so long. School got really busy and I've been working more this week and this chapter really just took me a while to get through, it's pretty long... but enough excuses, here it is, the longest chapter yet, it was a pain but hopefully you'll find it entertaining!

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><p>Alice hadn't really noticed how different the weather was over here from back in the States, well aside from sunshine being a rarity. She noticed the difference now.<p>

It seemed that the weather had changed overnight so that they woke to a steely gray landscape. Frost covered the ground each morning and the lake was still and dark gray. Alice had never experienced a real winter before. She had grown up in the Sunshine State of Florida where winter was chilly but snow was an event of apocalyptic proportions. She got the feeling that snow was a promise over here and she wasn't quite sure how she felt about that yet.

November ushered in winter, and with it, the Quidditch season. Fred and George were practically M.I.A. during the week leading up to their first game what with Wood calling early morning practice, before lunch practice, afternoon practice, evening practice, and last minute practice. Whenever Alice did see the twins, they were grumbling about Wood.

"Well, this is his first year as captain and he wants to win," Alicia explained gently.

"We'd better win!" George exclaimed.

"You will, I mean what with all this practicing, it's practically assured." Alice stated.

"I don't know, I think we've over-practiced! I mean, my arm is so sore I don't know if I can pick up a bat!" Fred retorted.

"Not to mention my rear's numb," George grumbled.

"Well, go stand in front of the fireplace to thaw it out," Alice ordered.

"Just ice your arm tonight and it'll be fine in the morning," Angelina told Fred.

"It better be! If you guys lose this game for us I will disown you!" Lee announced.

The twins shoved him onto the couch for the comment. George went over to light the fireplace but Alice intercepted.

"Allow me! I've been working on a new spell!" Alice grinned.

George retreated backwards and everyone else took a few steps backwards just to be safe. Alice was talented and no one doubted she could cast the spell, but her spells tended to be quite… flamboyant. All remembered the time she cast a slug-vomiting charm on a Slytherin and the slugs practically exploded from his mouth in a tide of slime. The boy and his friends weren't the only ones who had trouble keeping down their lunch after that display. Lee Jordan had looked particularly green and hurriedly looked away.

"Incendio!" Alice exclaimed and flicked her wand at the fireplace, not seeing the twins duck down behind the couch at the last minute.

Flames burst amidst the logs, cracking one with a loud snap! But it wasn't just logs in the fireplace. Fireworks shot out of the fireplace and crackled and exploded all around the kids. The fireworks were not simple Muggle ones either, and thus danced around Alice, sparking just inches from her nose and then flying around her in a whirl of color and sparks. They shot above her head and coalesced into a two-headed lion that roared and burst into sparkles and embers that drifted down onto Alice.

Alice rolled her eyes and slowly turned around to face the twins. They poked their heads up above the couch and laughed as sparkles fell into Alice's hair. She glared at them, an eyebrow quirked.

"Real mature," she grumbled.

"You've got… um, sparkles… in your hair," Lee tried not to laugh as Alice was glittering and sparkling like a disco ball.

She shook her hair out, sending a cloud of sparkles out into the air, but half of them just fell back onto her, onto her clothes, back in her hair. Everyone burst out laughing and Alice had to join them upon catching a glimpse of herself in a mirror. The twins were working on shaving down her lead in the prank war.

Alice was still finding sparkles on her the next day. In Transfiguration, Emily noticed some in Alice's hair. Alice promptly shook her hair out, causing sparkles to rain down onto their desk, covering it.

"What happened here, girls?" McGonagall asked in confusion upon coming over to their desk to find it sparkling and glittering like fairies had been fighting on it.

"It's from me, I got doused with sparkles and glitter by the Weasley twins last night and I'm still finding it everywhere!" Alice complained.

"Personally, I think the sparkles are an improvement to the desk! It's so pretty now!" Emily giggled.

Alice and McGonagall stared at her like she was crazy. Emily didn't notice.

"Yes," McGonagall muttered, an eyebrow quirked. "But it will distract from your work," she said and with a swish of her wand the sparkles vanished from the desk.

Emily's bottom lip stuck out a bit in a little pout while Alice's eyes brightened.

"Can you do that to the glitter on me?" She asked McGonagall excitedly.

"I'm afraid not Miss Connen, I don't know where it all is," McGonagall replied.

Alice's face dropped as McGonagall continued to the next desk. Emily nudged Alice.

"Oh come on, it's fine," Emily assured Alice. "It'll all come off eventually, trust me, I am no stranger to glitter and sparkles! Could you help me with this transfiguration? I don't know what I'm doing wrong."

The students were supposed to be trying to turn a snuff box into a mug. Alice had gotten it a few minutes ago, the first, and so far only, in the class to do so. She turned to Emily and watched as she cast the spell. The snuff box grew a handle but that was it. Emily groaned in frustration.

"You need to picture what you're trying to transfigure the box into. Form a clear picture in your mind of a mug. And don't flick your wrist so much, this isn't Charms," Alice instructed, though not gently, she had never been a good teacher.

Emily squinched her eyes shut, her brows scrunched close together. Her tongue poked out between her teeth as she tried to picture a mug in her mind.

"You got it?" Alice asked.

Emily nodded, her eyes still clamped shut.

"Okay, now, a quick motion but not all swishy and flicky like charms. It's gotta be strong!" Alice coached as she directed Emily's hand more towards the snuff box as it was currently pulling up to point at Leanne in front of them.

Emily's wand motion was a bit stiff as she was apparently locking her wrist to avoid too much swishing and flicking. One eye peeked open and she glanced down at the snuff box. It still had the handle and was a bit taller. She opened both eyes as her face split into a wide grin.

"I'm getting it!" She exclaimed to Alice.

"Yeah, you're getting there, just keep concentrating. Although, you don't have to lock your wrist, your motion was a bit stiff that time. Try for strong but smooth," Alice explained.

By the time class was over, Emily had managed to turn her snuff box into a crude mug. It was still the same color as the snuff box and had some bumps and corners, but it had a deep curve in the middle and that was kind of the major requirement for a mug, so Emily was happy with it. Or at least, she was for the first hour after class. On their way to Flying lessons, Emily couldn't shut up about what she should've done better and what she wanted her mug to look like and where she went wrong. Alice had spent years practicing the art of feigning listening, but she figured that after a year of being friends with Emily she would have this art perfected.

At least Emily's chattering somewhat distracted Alice from her anxiety. They had had over a month's worth of Flying lessons so far, but Alice still dreaded it. The moment class ended and her feet were returned to the solid ground was the best part of the class. You can be sure that Alice was the best at landing!

Approaching the broomsticks, laid out in neat rows just like every time, Alice's stomach took up its familiar twisting and sinking feeling. She set her jaw and stood unmoving by a broomstick as the other Gryffindor and Ravenclaw first-years got there. Emily was beside Alice, like always, but Liz was on her other side.

This had been the case for the past couple weeks. Jason had helped Alice the first two classes, but he was much better at flying and was quickly zooming around with the better fliers. He had also befriended a few other Ravenclaws, most notably Cho Chang; the two were rarely seen apart. Even when with one or the other's friend group, the other was there too. Thus, Jason arrived with Cho right beside him and they took up positions by brooms next to each other.

Alice rolled her eyes. She knew where that relationship was headed. Jason had on his smitten eyes and Cho seemed to feel the same, but Alice knew her brother and was a pretty good judge of character. Cho seemed self-centered and Jason was ambitious and wouldn't put anyone at the center of his universe like Cho probably expected. Oh well, if Jason wanted to go down that road, Alice certainly wouldn't stop him. She didn't understand why he was even interested in anyone, Alice thought that everyone in their class was too immature to be in relationships, herself included.

Madam Hooch interrupted Alice's thoughts, and made her face the unsettling task at hand. Madam Hooch walked over to a trunk that Alice hadn't noticed. This was new. Some of the other students seemed to know what was going on though and began chatting excitedly. Alice overheard the word "Quidditch" and inwardly groaned. Emily's elbow to the ribs told her that maybe it hadn't been so inward.

"As I'm sure most of you have already guessed, I have a little surprise for you all today!" Madam Hooch hollered out across the voices. The students quieted and looked to her eagerly. Alice was less than enthusiastic.

"Today, you will all be learning how to play Quidditch! I figured this would be helpful as the first game of the season is this weekend. I'm sure I will see you all there. This way, you will all know the rules and point of the game when you're watching. Now, I will be splitting the class up into two groups: those who know how to play Quidditch, and those that do not. If you all would help me with that, everyone who knows how to play Quidditch come over to my right side, those that do not on my left," Madam Hooch ordered.

The students shuffled to either side. Alice didn't have to move as she was already on the ignorant side. This announcement split up Jason and Cho, as Cho knew how to play and had even told Jason that she was hoping to try out for the Quidditch team next year. Jason came over to stand by Alice as Liz had gone over to the other side.

"Now, Quidditch has three balls: the Quaffle, the Golden Snitch, and the Bludger," Madam Hooch opened the trunk to reveal the balls as well as six bats. She pulled out a small golden ball about the size of a golf ball. "This is the Golden Snitch. It is small and extremely fast and thus very difficult to see and catch. Hence, it's worth one-hundred and fifty points and once caught ends the game. This is the job of the Seeker, to catch the Snitch. The Seeker is often small and has to be very fast and an excellent flier."

Madam Hooch replaced the golden ball and pointed to one ball that was chained into the trunk. The ball was visibly struggling against its bonds.

"That is a Bludger. There are two in play in a game of Quidditch and these are the most dangerous. They fly around and are hit by Beaters at players of the opposing teams. However, Beaters can only hit at Bludgers and cannot hit it at a player within the scoring zone. Because these are very dangerous, we won't be using them today. We'll be using un-enchanted Bludgers that the Beaters will have to get from the ground and hit at players. Neither are we using a standard Snitch, but a slightly bigger and slower version."

Several students groaned at this, but Alice was relieved. She had a hard enough time staying on her broom without balls flying around and being hit at her to knock her off. She really hoped there was a position that didn't have to fly at all, she doubted it though. Madam Hooch pulled out a ball about twelve inches in diameter and made of leather bindings.

"This is the Quaffle and it is the ball that scores points by being thrown into one of three rings at either end of the field. Three Chasers carry, pass, and throw this ball to score points, each goal worth ten points. However, the Keeper protects the rings, trying to block the Quaffle from going through the rings. There are many fouls but some of the most common are blagging, when a player grabs the end of another's broom to slow them down; blatching, flying with intent to collide; and bumphing, when a Beater hits a Bludger into the audience. If any of you commit these fouls you will lose points for your house. The winning teams will win points for their houses. Now, can I have two captains from each group?" Madam Hooch asked.

A dozen hands shot up, mostly from the side that knew how to play.

"Bell and Chang! Go ahead and pick your teams. And let's see," Madam Hooch turned to the inexperienced group where only one hand was raised. "Alright Parks, and… Connen!"

Alice's eyes bulged.

"Jason Connen, sorry, I forgot I had siblings," Madam Hooch clarified.

Alice placed a hand over her heart thankfully as it slowed its panicked beating. Jason and Cole went over to stand in front of the group. Cole rubbed his hands together as he peered at his options.

"Oh! And you can pick people from other houses!" Madam Hooch added.

"Sweet! Then I want Eddie!" Cole declared pointing at the Ravenclaw boy that had proven himself an adept flier.

"Alice," Jason said.

Alice glared at him. She didn't want to be picked just because she was his sister. If he had picked her in the middle maybe it wouldn't have been as obvious. Alice trudged over to stand with Jason, bumping into him on her way. Jason rolled his eyes. She was never happy with anything he did.

Cole ended up picking Emily and Leanne, so Alice wasn't on a team with any of her friends. The majority of Jason's team was Ravenclaws, with just Alice and Robbie from Gryffindor. The captains then set to assigning everyone to positions, asking what they were good at to determine their decisions.

"Okay, Chasers will be myself and Marietta, Robbie, you're our Beater, Andrew you're Seeker, and Alice Keeper," Jason said.

Alice breathed a sigh of relief, as Keeper she wouldn't have to fly around as much.

"Now, if I can have both teams in the middle of the field, each team on your respective sides," Madam Hooch called out.

She went over to the experienced teams first and tossed the Quaffle into the air while blowing on her whistle. The students all pushed off the ground and began the game. Katie managed to get the Quaffle first and was speeding away towards the opposing side's goals. Madam Hooch released a slightly larger Snitch, and then came over to Alice's group.

"Okay, now, I will toss the Quaffle into the air, and when I blow on my whistle, you will all push off and go into the air. Chasers, you'll try to get the Quaffle for your team. After you've started, I'll release the Snitch. Got it?" She asked. They all nodded.

"Alright, three, two," Madam Hooch counted down then placed her whistle in her mouth and threw the Quaffle into the air. She blew a short blast on the whistle and the students all pushed off of the ground.

Alice raced over to her rings and hovered in front of them. Her stomach was doing twists, but half of it was from adrenaline. Alice was very competitive and this was helping her somewhat ignore her fear of flying.

She watched as Jason snatched the Quaffle out of the air and raced to the other end of the field where Leanne was hovering in front of her teams' goals. Jason sped around Emily and tossed the Quaffle to Marietta. She caught it and tossed it at one of the rings, but Leanne knocked it away. Eddie recovered the Quaffle and began heading down towards Alice.

"Okay, here we go, here we go," Alice muttered, shifting on her broom, her eyes locked onto Eddie.

Before he got halfway down the pitch though, a ball came flying at him and he dropped the Quaffle. Robbie chuckled and raced down to recover his Bludger while Marietta recovered the Quaffle. She passed it to Jason who caught it and threw it at the left ring. It soared through before Leanne could get there to stop it. Jason's team cheered, Alice from the other end of the field, alone, as Leanne recovered the Quaffle and tossed it to Eddie.

Jason proved to have received their parents' knack for Quidditch. The team also worked well together in general so that the Quaffle never really got close to Alice. Thus she soon grew bored and began watching the other game.

"Yeah! Katie! Take that McLaggen!" Alice shouted, throwing her hands into the air.

Upon losing her balance a bit she quickly grabbed hold of her broom handle again. Her eyes wide and stomach flipping, Alice decided she should probably be less enthusiastic in her cheers. Katie's team was currently winning, but the lead was slim. The two teams were well-matched and provided for an exciting game.

Liz had just stolen the Quaffle from Thomas and was racing back to Cho's Keeper when Alice heard her name being shouted. She turned her attention back to her own game to find Eddie racing towards her with the Quaffle. Alice gulped and readied herself to defend the goals. Eddie looked to the right goal, so Alice flew over to defend it, but she realized too late it was a fake. Eddie tossed the Quaffle into the undefended left goal.

Cole's team cheered as Alice retrieved the Quaffle. She glumly tossed it to Jason who glared at her.

"Pay attention to our game, not theirs!" he scolded, passing the ball to Marietta.

"Well, I would if I was doing anything over here! You guys have been down on the other end for the whole game! It's like I'm not even playing!" Alice retorted bitterly.

"Tell me about it, he had a wide-open shot!" Jason grumbled.

"He did a fake! I'm sorry I'm not a telepath and couldn't read that in his mind!" Alice exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. She again lost her balance and clutched at her broom handle. "Gah! I've gotta stop doing that!" she muttered.

Jason shook his head and flew off to the other end of the pitch.

It turned out that was the only goal Cole's team would score. Jason seemed to work extra hard to keep the Quaffle down on the other team's end. Alice grumbled as Jason tried to keep her out of the game, but no matter, now she could pay attention to Katie and Cho's game.

Cho's team had managed to pull out ahead with a twenty point lead. No matter, that wasn't a big lead at all, and if Katie's seeker caught the snitch they'd win by a landslide. Just as Alice thought it, Cho and Henry Jones, another Ravenclaw but the Seeker for Katie's team, went into a nosedive chasing after the snitch. Cho pulled out ahead and would have caught it but a Bludger careened out of nowhere aimed at Cho's extended hand. She drew back quickly, losing valuable speed and allowing Henry to race ahead and grab the snitch.

Katie's team cheered and flew back down to the ground. Alice cheered at her place by the rings. Shortly after that, Cole's Seeker, Jessica Short, a Ravenclaw, pulled up with the snitch. Regardless, Jason's team still won with 180 points to Cole's 160. Alice figured Jessica had just wanted to end the slaughter quickly.

Alice sped back down to the ground, hopping off her broom when she was still a foot or two off the ground. Her stomach dropped thankfully back into place as soon as she landed. Madam Hooch retrieved all the equipment and dismissed the class. Alice went over to congratulate Katie's team on their win.

"Katie, you were excellent, you're definitely gonna make the team next year!" Alice praised as she walked with her friends back inside the castle.

"You think so?" Katie grinned.

"Definitely!" Alice confirmed.

"Alice!"

Alice turned to find Jason jogging after her. Alice stopped, waving at her friends to go on ahead. Jason jogged up to her and looked everywhere but at her eyes.

"Yes, Jason," Alice said tersely.

Jason rolled his eyes at her tone but continued anyway.

"I just wanted to apologize," Jason began, looking at his shoes, thus he didn't notice Alice's jaw drop in shock. "You know, for being a jerk and yelling at you and then keeping you out of the game."

Alice quickly shut her mouth as Jason finally looked up at her. Alice tried to hide her surprise but she couldn't seem to lower her brows back down. Jason never apologized this quickly. The norm was for an adult to intercede, making one or the other go and apologize, then they would get in another fight because it wasn't genuine, and that would resolve everything and they'd return to normal.

"Um, thanks, I guess," Alice muttered, unsure of what exactly to say. When Jason quirked an eyebrow she hurriedly tried to repair her response. "I mean, um, it's fine, I forgive you."

"Okay, so we're okay?" Jason prompted, sighing in relief.

"Yeah, we're good," Alice replied with a grin. A grin split across Jason's face.

"Good, 'cause I need help on the Potions essay due tomorrow!" He laughed.

Alice chuckled and shoved him good-naturedly. The day Jason needed Alice's help with school work was the day the world ended.

"I'll see ya tomorrow," Alice said.

"Yeah," Jason grinned and the two headed off in opposite directions.

Alice was still in shock at her brother's apology and jest that she nearly ran headfirst into a bear. Or at least, that was Alice's first impression as her vision was filled with shaggy fur that was moving. Upon looking up, she realized it was the groundskeeper Hagrid in his furry coat.

"Apologies! Almost didn't see ya there!" Hagrid smiled in that booming voice of his.

"Oh, no, it was my fault. I wasn't looking where I was going," Alice assured the big man, unperturbed.

"Miss Connen, isn't it?" Hagrid asked.

For the second time in the past five minutes Alice tried to hide her shock. Hagrid noticed though and laughed. His laugh was one where everyone who heard it just had to feel a bit lighter and Alice smiled.

"Professor Triggs is an ol' friend and lately all he talks about is you and your brother! To be 'onest, I'm surprised I didn't reco'nize you earlier! You look just like your mother!" Hagrid beamed.

"Does everyone here know my mother?" Alice asked no one in particular.

"Pretty much! She wasn't one that was easy to miss!" Hagrid laughed. Alice grinned a bit. "She was a sweet girl, clever too! She sent me letters and pictures after she graduated!"

Alice's ears perked up at this. It wasn't that she had never seen pictures of her mom, her family had tons of them that she studied growing up, but these would be of her as a student here, and they'd be wizard pictures, these would move! Alice could actually see her mom's laugh in action instead of just a snapshot.

"Do you still have some of them?" Alice asked curiously.

"Some of 'em? I have 'em all!" Hagrid replied. Noticing Alice's hungry look, Hagrid continued, "Do you want to see 'em?"

All Alice could do was nod.

She followed Hagrid out of the castle and across the lawns to the hut by the Forbidden Forest. Alice had always thought it looked small across the lawns, but she realized how silly that notion was. Hagrid was practically a giant, he couldn't live in a tiny little hut! The hut seemed to tower over her just like the groundskeeper did, and when Hagrid held the door open for her she barely came halfway up the doorframe.

The rest of the hut was similarly jumbo-sized. Hagrid motioned her over to the smallest chair, which Alice still had to climb into and had about a foot between her dangling legs and the ground. Upon the closing of the door, a lump in the corner sat up and howled. Alice brightened up and slid from the chair, going over to the large black Great Dane.

"Ah, that's Fang. He seems intimidating but he's a big 'ol coward!" Hagrid chuckled, gong over to retrieve his photo albums.

Alice wasn't intimidated in the slightest, she loved dogs, especially big dogs. Even though Fang was about as tall as she was, Alice hadn't the least qualms about approaching and befriending him. Fang took to her immediately and Hagrid returned to find Fang in Alice's lap licking her face as the girl giggled and scratched the dog behind the ear.

Alice managed to escape the Great Dane's affections and made her way over to Hagrid. Sitting beside him, Alice peered over at the photo album which was more a scrapbook of all the things he'd received from some of his friends. Hagrid flipped the book open about midway where a laughing reflection of Alice stared up at them.

"Here's your mum and the Potters!" Hagrid pointed to the photo Alice's gaze had been caught by. "Well, they weren't the Potters yet, but you know all that, I'm sure!"

A tall boy with messy black hair and glasses had an arm wrapped around a short girl that was the spitting image of Alice just older. This girl had an arm wrapped around another girl with auburn hair. James, Nax, and Lily looked to be a few years older than Alice was now, maybe in their fifth year, and were laughing and smiling as snow fell down around them and stuck in their hair. The group seemed to be swaying and at one point the kids almost lost their balance but James managed to right them, dragging the girls back towards his side to center them.

"Lily used to hate James, the only times she didn't fight with 'im were when they were both with Nax. She was friends with both and didn't tolerate conflict!" Hagrid chuckled. "This one 'ere, was when I caught Nax and James and Sirius out in the Forbidden Forest. Taking the picture was 'er idea, she said she wanted to remember the first time she ever get caught breakin' the rules!" Hagrid's laughter boomed as he pointed to another picture of Nax and a younger version of himself.

Nax looked like a doll next to Hagrid. He dwarfed her but her smile was just as wide as his. While Alice watched the photo, a hand popped up behind Nax's head, forming bunny ears on her. Nax turned, revealing a dark-haired boy crouching behind her. She pushed the laughing boy out of the shot and doubled over in laughter as the sound of pots falling was heard.

The other page had letters clipped to it. Noticing Alice look at them, Hagrid unclipped the letters and handed them to Alice.

"Whenever Nax got detention or was sick or injured and shut up in the 'ospital Wing she would write me notes. They're nonsense really but they're entertainin'!" Hagrid explained as Alice looked at one that was simply a very long list of uncomplimentary adjectives attributed to Filch.

Alice moved that note to the bottom of the pile to reveal the next. It read simply: "I got detention again for the last note." Alice burst out laughing. Alice read the rest of the notes out loud and she and Hagrid roared at them. Well, now Alice knew where she got her sarcasm from!

Hagrid re-pinned the notes to the page and turned to the next. This one was filled with pictures of Nax and Lily and a few other girls that Hagrid couldn't remember the names of. Hagrid was in a few of them as he explained to Alice that Nax and Lily would come down to have tea with him sometimes on the weekends or if they had a break between classes.

The next page was all pictures of Nax and the dark-haired boy she had pushed out of the picture with Hagrid. He was handsome in a dark and charming kind of way. His black hair was a bit longer, but not shoulder-length, and honestly Alice was a bit jealous of it, it was very wavy and shiny and fell into his eyes gracefully. He had an almost aristocratic look to him that Alice figured could look haughty sometimes but the pictures all showed a genuine smile and laugh that kept this look at bay.

In one picture the two were dancing very awkwardly but laughing about it. Alice nodded, recognizing her own terrible dancing skills. You just had to laugh at yourself when you were that bad.

"That's Sirius Black, 'e was James' best friend and 'e and your mother grew very close around fourth year," Hagrid frowned and began to turn the page but Alice stopped him.

"Wait, tell me more about him. I've heard a lot about James and Lily, but no one's really told me anything about this guy, Sirius," Alice said.

Hagrid harrumphed but at the sparkle in Alice's eyes he couldn't refuse her.

"That's for a reason! Sirius was a troublemaker at school but very talented. A lot like the Weasley twins except his group sometimes bullied other students. Yer mum never liked that and she got in fights with the boys over that! 'e and yer mum joined up with the group fighting Voldemort and his followers after they graduated. But, well, you heard about the Potter's deaths right?" Hagrid asked.

Alice nodded.

"Well, Voldemort only found 'em because they were betrayed by their best friend, by Sirius Black! He sold 'em out to Voldemort then went crazy and killed another of 'is friends. 'e was finally arrested and sent to Azkaban," Hagrid explained. He shook his head, his eyes growing a bit misty. "I honestly still don't believe it. 'e was a troublemaker sure! But 'e 'ad always been loyal to his friends! I'll never understand it."

Alice was in shock at this revelation. Triggs had told her Sirius went crazy and killed another guy, but she figured that had just been out of grief, not that he was evil! Alice looked down at the pictures of this man that supposedly betrayed his best friends. Alice acknowledged that she didn't know this guy at all, but the laughing boy in the pictures with her mom didn't seem like somebody that would betray his friends. Some of Triggs' words came back to her as a punch in the gut.

"Triggs said my mom came back after the Potters were killed and tried to stop Sirius! You don't think he killed her too?" Alice's eyes pleaded with Hagrid.

His big heart wrenched for the girl that would probably spend her whole life never knowing what happened to her mother. Hagrid hadn't even known Nax went after Sirius. He had no idea what had happened to Nax, but he didn't want Alice to think that her mother had been betrayed. So he tried to comfort her as best he could.

"No, I don't think so. We would've found yer mum's…" Hagrid gulped and left the sentence hang in the air unfinished. Alice knew what he had been about to say. "Sirius cared for yer mum a great deal. In a different way from 'is friendship with James. I'm probably not the only one who'll say this, but I think 'e had a thing for yer mum. He would never hurt 'er," Hagrid tried to reassure Alice.

"But if he did like my mom, then wouldn't he have been upset that she married my dad? Maybe that's what set him off?" Alice prodded.

"No. Sirius wouldn't 'ave hurt Nax. Forget what I said, that's jus' an ol' man's guessin'! What do I know about who kids like?" Hagrid laughed.

Alice looked down. Now that Hagrid had said it, Alice could see that maybe Sirius had liked her mom. He always seemed to be looking at her in the pictures, especially when Nax wasn't looking at him. His eyes also seemed brighter when he was looking at her.

Alice shook her head. It was just the fact that Hagrid had suggested it. Once the idea had presented itself, Alice was looking for it! Hagrid knew her mom and Sirius better than she did, and if he said Sirius didn't hurt her mom, she believed him.

Hagrid made tea and showed her the rest of the pictures and notes and letters he had from Nax. Her mom had been really funny and all her letters had Alice and Hagrid gasping for breath between laughing fits. Eventually, though, they ran out of tea and pictures and letters; the last being a letter and picture of Alice and Jason on their second birthday. Alice laughed at Jason's pudgy little legs before realizing that was her.

Alice bid Hagrid, and Fang, goodbye and headed back up to the castle, pulling her scarf up over her chin as the wind had picked up and was biting cold. Alice stomped off any mud or frost her shoes had acquired on the way and continued up to the Gryffindor Common Room. It wasn't until she entered the Common Room, where the fireplace was roaring welcomingly, that Alice began peeling off layers. She couldn't feel her nose and fingertips and parked herself right in front of the fireplace.

Some blessed individual had brought hot chocolate up from the kitchens and Alice was passed a steaming mug. She breathed in the aroma graciously and just sat there before the fire with her hands wrapped around the warm mug for several minutes, sipping at the hot liquid. She had just finished her mug, luckily, when two arms scooped her up.

"Excuse you! Just because I'm small does not mean I am to be man-handled!" Alice exclaimed irritably.

Glancing up at her captors she was unsurprised to find the Weasley twins. They carried her over to a table in the corner of the room where they sat her down in a chair. The twins then pulled up chairs across the small table and sat facing her.

"We hear you played Quidditch today," Fred grinned.

Alice rolled her eyes and groaned. How many times did she have to tell them, she didn't like flying!

"For the last time, and I am deeply sorry, but I am not the next Quidditch prodigy! I hardly even played at all, I was Keeper and the Quaffle only came over to me once and I missed it!" Alice declared.

The twins' faces fell. Then they brightened up.

"That's a shame, but maybe it's for the best!" Fred grinned.

"Yeah, you'll escape the terrible reign of Captain Oliver Wood!" George jested.

"Hey, as long as you guys win, I don't care how tyrannical his reign is!" Alice laughed. "Quick question though," Alice added.

"Yes, he's single," Fred groaned mockingly. Alice grinned but ignored him.

"Why is Quidditch a winter sport? I mean, it's already cold flying around with the wind and all. Why do it when it's freezing outside? Wouldn't it make more sense to be a summer or at the very least fall or spring game? 'Cause then it wouldn't be freezing and you'd be flying around and the rushing wind would cool you off," Alice proposed.

The twins were silent a moment, pondering her comment. They glanced at each other and shrugged before turning back to Alice.

"You make a valid point," Fred began.

"But I think it's because Quidditch players have to wear a lot of gear and layers," George explained.

"Yeah, I mean it is a bit cold if it's raining or snowing, but if it was played when it was hot we would get overheated in the uniforms!" Fred argued.

"But the uniforms only have all the layers because it's played in the winter. You could play Quidditch in just a T-shirt and shorts. You could even still do gloves and all the guards and stuff without having too many layers. Plus, with less clothing, you wouldn't weigh as much and thus could fly faster," Alice countered.

The twins looked at each other again. After pondering and scratching their heads a bit they finally gave up.

"Why are you asking us? We just play the game! We don't make the rules!" George retorted.

"Actually Quidditch is a year-long sport. The Quidditch World Cup is held at the end of summer and the matches leading up to it go on throughout the year. We just play Quidditch during the winter here at Hogwarts so that we can get a full season in during the school year," Lee Jordan explained, sliding into the seat next to Alice.

Alice turned to him with an approving look.

"Thank you! That explains it. At least someone knows his stuff," Alice replied, with a playful glare at the twins who rolled their eyes and sighed dramatically.

Alice hung out with the second-years in the Common Room for a while, but all the students there had to evacuate when a first-year, Alice strongly suspected Thomas, accidentally set off a dung bomb. The students staggered, coughing and gagging, up the steps to escape to the dormitories. In all honesty, it was probably a good thing; Alice had Potions the next day and it wouldn't do to have Snape catch her drifting in class from lack of sleep, thereby handing him an excuse to take points from Gryffindor.

As it was, Snape didn't need an excuse. He snatched away points from the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws over the slightest infractions which included accidentally knocking something over, or calling him 'sir', or brewing the potion correctly. Okay, well maybe he didn't take them away for those reasons exactly, but that was the implication. He of course used fancy wording to make it sound like rule-breaking: a student was fooling around, or was being snide and impertinent, or boasting. Regardless, the charges were preposterous but the students didn't comment lest he implicate them in undermining authority.

"Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the coffin this morning," Alice muttered under her breath to Emily, stirring as Emily added in the ingredients.

"Huh?" Emily's brow creased in confusion. Alice checked a sigh.

"I was trying to make a clever joke, implying Snape's a vampire, sleeping in a coffin," Alice explained trying to hide her exasperation.

"But vampire's don't sleep in coffins," Emily was genuinely confused.

Alice closed her eyes and heaved a deep breath. She kept forgetting that these kids grew up in the Wizarding World where vampires were understood to be real creatures like a lion or something, not just over-dramatic monsters in old movies with ridiculous accents and a ton of makeup. Alice, thinking, shrugged. Well, she guessed there could be vampires that were over-dramatic, had ridiculous accents, and wore a lot of makeup—she guessed it was really just individual preferences.

Alice chuckled to herself. What if Wizards had shows like on Animal Planet but about magical creatures? Next on Growing Up Werewolf…

"What?" Emily prodded, nudging Alice who was laughing quietly to herself.

"Oh, nothing," Alice grinned, picturing a wildlife rescuer type bottle-feeding a toddler werewolf and introducing it to her pet golden retriever who would become like a mother to the werewolf.

Although, on second thought, werewolves would probably be more like that movie Teen Wolf. Though Alice did suspect that whole silver bullet thing was bogus. She'd have to remember to ask someone about that. Vampires too come to think of it. Did garlic really repel them? And if so why? Were they allergic or did they just have some bad history with Italians?

"Alice, stop. Stop!" Emily grabbed Alice's hand, dragging it, holding the spoon, out of the bubbling cauldron.

"What?" Alice jolted back from her thoughts.

"If you stir it too much it'll explode," Emily cautioned under her breath as Snape passed by their desk. She didn't want to give him any reason to take more points from Gryffindor.

"Sorry, I was thinking about garlic knots lobbed into a crowd of vampires like grenades," Alice apologized. Emily stared at her like she had grown a second head but Alice continued as if she hadn't said anything unordinary. Emily shook her head—for Alice, that really wasn't out of the ordinary.

The girls managed to survive Potions with Snape only taking five points from them for chatting. Alice couldn't blame it entirely on Emily, they had gotten into a discussion about vampires and Alice had extensively discussed Dracula which Emily found thoroughly entertaining, though ludicrous. As it turned out, garlic was used against vampires, though Emily didn't know why exactly so Alice continued to entertain the idea of a war with Italians that just had too many painful garlic memories for vampires.

They were discussing the logistics of how much garlic would be needed for a full-scale war with vampires when Emily ran headlong into a brick wall. Well, not quite, but that's what it felt like. Looking up, her face instantly turned scarlet upon seeing Professor Triggs.

"Oh, uh, excuse me, Professor," Emily mumbled shyly.

"Oh, no worries! Where are you girls off to?" Triggs wasn't the least bothered and glanced down at them cheerfully, though his eyes did seem to skirt around Alice not looking directly at her.

Alice realized she hadn't spoken with Triggs since that day he told her about her mom. Alice figured she probably should have apologized for blowing up on him and storming out. She had simply forgotten. She had worked through it herself and was fine now, but clearly Triggs felt she was still angry. Emily was having difficulty answering so Alice took her opportunity.

"Oh, nowhere in particular! We just got out of Potions," Alice rolled her eyes playfully.

Triggs cracked a smile, taking her jest as a sign that she wasn't still angry with him. She hadn't ever been angry with him anyway, more at everyone else that hadn't told her about her mom.

"Ooh, I hope Snape wasn't too hard on you all. He's been in a bad mood ever since last night. I sort of cleaned him out in a game of cards last night," Triggs grinned sheepishly.

"It was you!" Thomas declared angrily, overhearing Triggs' comment. "Snape took ten points from me for accidentally adding too many nettles!"

"_Accidentally_," Cole grinned making air-quotes with his fingers. Thomas shoved him and the two continued down the hall, Thomas casting a glare back at Triggs as they left.

"I can't help that I'm an excellent cards player!" Triggs said in mock arrogance. He then continued hushed in an aside to Emily and Alice, "And that Snape's a sore loser."

Alice chuckled appreciatively and Emily giggled. She was still very red in the face and kept casting bashful glances up into Triggs' flashing gray eyes that she fancied looked like storm clouds. Alice rolled her eyes at her friend's obvious enchantment with the professor.

"You know, I actually learnt all my tricks from your mother, Alice. Nax was a card shark!" he grinned. His eyes widened in alarm upon realizing the subject he brought up. Alice was past her anger though and all that was left was a sincere curiosity. Her eyes brightened.

"Really? Cool, you know I always beat my brother in Texas Hold'em!" Alice exclaimed.

Triggs and Emily tried to pretend they knew what she was talking about, smiling hesitantly and nodding. Alice saw through it though, they had no idea what she was talking about. She had, weeks ago, resolved herself to having to explain all her Muggle references for the next seven years or just let it go. She let this one go, they could figure out it was a card game.

"I actually wanted to ask you something, Professor," Alice began a bit awkwardly. This idea had seemed a lost easier in her head.

"Yes?" Triggs prompted.

"Um, well, you went to school with my mom, and well, you knew her better than I did, so I was, uh, wondering, if you could… maybe, um… tell me about her? Like regularly," Alice fumbled.

Triggs was surprised, as evidenced by his brows shooting to his hairline, but he uttered no disregard. His face was one of intense consideration, touched by the lines of grief, his eyes shining with his remembering. Suddenly a grin split across his face and his eyes sparkled.

"Sure, Alice. I'd love to let you indulge my nostalgia! How about Thursdays around four?" Triggs offered.

"Yeah, that'd be great!" Alice nodded emphatically.

"Fantastic! Well, I'll see you next week then," Triggs grinned.

"Are you not coming to the game tomorrow?" Emily asked, piping up for the first time since bumping into Triggs.

"Oh, yes, I almost forgot! Then I'll see you there! Go Gryffindor!" he exclaimed, then, his eyes wide, covered his mouth with a hand, looking around furtively. "I'm not supposed to show bias," he said ruefully.

The girls laughed as he proceeded down the corridor. Emily giggled and watched as he left. Alice stared at her in disgust.

"You have a crush on Triggs," Alice scoffed.

"What?" Emily retorted, peeling her eyes from Triggs' retreating figure to glare defensively at her friend.

"You like Professor Triggs," Alice couldn't quite wrap her head around the idea.

"What! No, I don't! He's a teacher! He's old enough to be my dad! Ew! No, I don't like him," Emily said a bit too quickly and vehemently. Alice simply rolled her eyes.

Friday afternoon dragged on, of course, because everyone was eagerly anticipating the first Quidditch match of the season. Gryffindor and Hufflepuff were facing off Saturday afternoon and Friday seemed determined to make them all suffer to the point that a single afternoon felt like a week. Alice was happy to go to bed early if only so she could get to Saturday quicker.

She had gotten a taste of what Quidditch matches were like in Flying Lessons. Not in her own game, but in watching Katie's and Cho's teams play, and she was excited. Alice had always loved sports with a special place in her heart for basketball because it was so fast-paced and physical. Quidditch didn't disappoint in either of those areas.

Saturday morning, Alice was actually the first one up, which surprised everyone considering Emily practically had to drag her out of bed by the heels or lure her out with some food. Alice was decked out in red and gold from head to toe. She had on her scarf, a red jacket, gold shirt, red and gold striped socks, and even red and gold ribbons in her hair. After breakfast, Lee Jordan introduced her to some kids that were doing face painting and she managed to convince Emily to do it with her.

Emily, with a roaring lion on her cheek, and Alice, a huge red and gold paw print covering her face, followed the throng of students to the quidditch pitch. There were so many stairs, but Alice was too busy chattering on about Quidditch and how Gryffindor was going to win that she forgot to complain about the stairs. Emily briefly wondered if she normally talked as much as Alice was now, and if so how Alice hadn't slapped her yet.

Alice shoved and slid her way to the front row, Emily trailing behind her. Lee Jordan waved at them from his place over in the commentator's box. Professor McGonagall sat with him, to monitor him the girls correctly surmised. The girls waved pack and Lee pointed excitedly to his microphone as if to prove he was really going to be commentating.

McGonagall said something, forcing Lee to turn his attention to her. Katie and Leanne came up next to Emily, greeting the two girls before unrolling a sheet which they had written "Go! Go! Gryffindor!" on and cast a charm so that the letters flashed between red and gold. Emily fumbled in her bag and drew out a pair of binoculars, which she handed to Alice, before drawing out another pair for herself.

"Here," she muttered.

Alice instinctively took them from Emily, but then glanced down at them in confusion. Emily, catching Alice's look, nodded to her.

"Even though the stands are up high, it's still tough to see some of it, especially the Seekers," Emily explained.

"Oh! Thanks!" Alice grinned and began adjusting the settings on the binoculars.

It wasn't long before the teams entered onto the pitch. Alice and Emily joined their voices to the cheers that seemed to shake the stands. Fred and George waved grandiosely, as if they were royalty on a parade. Charlie Weasley, their older brother and Seeker for the team, laughed and gently swatted Fred upside the head to focus the twins' attention to the task at hand.

"They are such hams," Alice rolled her eyes.

The Gryffindor and Hufflepuff teams formed up on opposite sides facing each other, with Madam Hooch, who was refereeing, in between them. Oliver Wood, captain for the Gryffindor team, and the Hufflepuff captain, a tall blonde boy with an honest-looking face, shook hands. Wood was very solemn and from his clenched jaw, clearly nervous about captaining his first ever game. Madam Hooch looked to be speaking to the two teams, who nodded and mounted their brooms. She brought the whistle to her lips and blew a short blast on it, all fourteen players pushing off and into the sky.

"And Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor snags the Quaffle! Johnson was just brought onto the team this year and shows great promise, in Quidditch and in beauty,"

"Jordan!" McGonagall snapped.

"Sorry, Professor, and Johnson passes to Melbrook!" Lee Jordan's voice announced over the crowd.

Alice was cheering madly as Melbrook raced down the pitch towards the Hufflepuff goals and their Keeper.

"Melbrook shoots around the defender Caelan Hodgins! And she's approaching the goals and—MELBROOK DUCK!— Woah! That was a close one! Sarah Melbrook narrowly dodges a Bludger lobbed from Hufflepuff Beater Audrey McCullins! Keeper Thauser bolts at a move towards the right ring—but it was a feint and—SHE SCORES! GRYFFINDOR SCORES!"

Emily squealed and Alice shouted, but their voices were just two among many as the crowd roared with Gryffindor cheers. The stands looked like a roiling scarlet and gold sea, with flags waving and students jumping. Lee was still cheering and McGonagall had to rope him back, forcing him to re-focus on his job.

"And Hufflepuff's in possession, Chaser Douglas Begbie with the Quaffle and he is soaring towards the goal posts, but—OUCH!—that one had to hurt, Begbie's knocked by a Bludger in the back, hit by one of the Weasley twins—George I think, but one can never be too sure—and Gryffindor regains possession, Chaser Elgin Ewart with the Quaffle—what a beautiful pass to Johnson—not as beautiful as Johnson is though—"

"JORDAN!"

"Right, Professor, sorry. Oh! Nice dive around Begbie—but she's faced with Hodgins and McCullins—she needs help guys!—she passes to Melbrook—OOH!—stolen by Ainsely Barneston! Barneston swerves around a Weasley twin—THE SNITCH!"

Everyone's attention was interrupted as Charlie Weasley and the Hufflepuff Seeker dove through the middle of the game after a tiny speck of gold. Alice's binoculars flew up to her eyes so fast she bumped the bridge of her nose painfully. She searched madly for the Seekers and finally found Charlie pulling ahead of the Hufflepuff Seeker. The snitch zoomed up above Charlie's head and he pulled up after it. He reached out and was just inches from grabbing it, but he wasn't paying attention to where the snitch was leading him and he nearly ran headlong into Sarah Melbrook. Charlie pulled up just in time and the two Gryffindors avoided collision, but in that split second Charlie lost sight of the snitch and Melbrook dropped the Quaffle she had stolen from Hufflepuff.

"Luckily Johnson recovers the Quaffle! Johnson's very reliable, a genuinely good person to have around—"

"Jordan," McGonagall warned with a glare.

"And she passes to Ewart—NO!—Ewart's knocked by a Bludger hit from Hufflepuff's Heath Graeme and loses the Quaffle—Douglas Begbie recovers it and Hufflepuff's back in possession—Begbie passes ahead to Hodgins—Hodgins is trying to make up for that steal Melbrook made in the confusion over the snitch—Oliver Wood, the young Gryffindor captain, is waiting for him—Hodgins is gonna sc—SAVED! By an excellent dive from Wood!—Ewart with the Quaffle—he dives under Barneston—dodges a Bludger hit by McCullins—he's at the goal posts—GRYFFINDOR SCORES!"

Alice just knew she was gonna be hoarse by the end of the game. The crowd erupted once more and the game continued on much the same for another hour. Hufflepuff managed to score a few goals, but Gryffindor never gave up the lead.

"Seventy-Thirty, Gryffindor in the lead—and it's Begbie with the Quaffle—Begbie ducks around Melbrook—Wood dives, but it's just out of reach—HUFFLEPUFF SCORES!"

The yellow and black side of the stands erupted. Alice glared over at them, her competitiveness gnawing at her stomach even though Gryffindor was still ahead by thirty points. But all Hufflepuff had to do was get the snitch and they'd win. Alice turned her attention immediately to Charlie Weasley and was not disappointed.

The Weasley brother saw something and dove from his place hovering above. He sliced through the main play, nearly cutting off Hodgins, and leaving the Hufflepuff Seeker flat-footed.

"Hufflepuff's Seeker, Cedric Diggory, jumps into action after Charlie Weasley, but the Gryffindor Seeker's got too much of a lead! He's racing off towards the ground where—YES! There it is! The Snitch!—Graeme lobs a Bludger at Weasley but Charlie—WOW! Did you see that loop!—He's heading into the corner after the Snitch and—HE'S CAUGHT IT! WEASLEY'S CAUGHT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS!"

If Alice had thought the crowd was loud before, she was deafened by the roar from the stands upon this declaration. Charlie Weasley flew up to the level of the stands, holding the snitch out triumphantly. Alice cheered wildly as he passed by their stand. Charlie was ambushed before he could complete his lap around the stadium, the rest of his team flying into him, forming a big, mid-air heap of scarlet.

Suddenly, a scarlet figure fell from the clump. The crowds gasped as they all recognized a Weasley twin, falling to the ground, apparently injured. He fell to the ground hard, and lay there, rolling in pain. The rest of the team shot down to the ground after him. Alice pulled her binoculars back out to see which Weasley twin was hurt. It was Fred.

"It appears the Gryffindor Beater Fred Weasley has been injured! Madam Hooch rushes to the fallen player!" Jordan announced, but Alice hardly heard, she was already racing down the stairs alongside a majority of the crowd.

The students raced onto the field and Alice shoved her way to the front. George was beside his brother, who was holding his arm and wincing in pain. He didn't cry out though, not that he would no matter how painful, Fred always tried to appear tough.

"Are you alright? What happened?" Alice blurted out, sliding up to the other side of her friend.

"My arm—" Fred sucked in a breath through gritted teeth. "It got pinned between Sarah and Charlie in the huddle—I think it may be broken,"

"Well, I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will fix you up real quick! You'll be back good as new in a matter of moments I'm sure!" Alice grinned, trying to sound optimistic.

"Let me see!" Madam Hooch ordered, coming up to Fred.

He drew his good arm away from the pained one and Madam Hooch inspected it. At her touch, Fred gasped in pain and bit his lip. Madam Hooch shook her head and clicked her tongue.

"Could be a fracture, we need to get you to the Hospital Wing right away!" she declared.

"Ok, but just hold on, Alice, come closer," Fred requested in a pained voice. Alice leaned in, concern etching her face. "Closer," Fred urged. Alice leaned in until their faces were mere inches away. "I need to tell you something, just in case…"

"No, Fred, you'll be fine! I'm sure Madam Pomfrey can fix up a bone fracture like that!" Alice snapped her fingers, but her smile was weak.

"Alice… I need to tell you…"

Alice's eyes widened and grew misty as Fred's voice strained with pain. What did he need to tell her so badly?

"Gotcha," Fred whispered in pain.

Alice blinked in confusion. Fred's pain-filled expression instantly vanished, replaced by a mischievous grin. This look was reflected on his twin's face and Fred pulled his "broken" arm out to playfully slap Alice on the shoulder. Her face instantly dropped, her brows lowering over her glaring eyes, unamused. Her lips pursed as Fred and George leapt to their feet. She then clambered to her feet after them, rolling her eyes.

She wasn't the only one taken in by the trick, and the crowd erupted in noise. Some laughed, others were confused thinking Fred healed, others angry at being tricked. McGonagall was one of the latter and she stormed up to the twins.

"This is no laughing matter! Injuries are serious! I cannot believe you would do such a thing! Twenty points from Gryffindor! And detention for you both!" McGonagall scolded, glaring at both twins.

Their eyes widened in shock and their mouths opened to protest but McGonagall simply held up a hand to silence them. Without another word she stalked off and dispersed the crowd. The twins turned, glumly, back to Alice who had now been joined by Lee Jordan, Angelina, and Alicia. The three girls glared at the twins, while Lee was grinning widely. The twins cracked a smile.

"You two are ridiculous," Alice rolled her eyes.

"You shouldn't have joked about that!" Angelina scolded, her arms crossed.

"Yeah! Everyone thought you were seriously hurt!" Alicia said.

"I thought it was great! Was it planned or just spur of the moment? Wow, guys that was gutsy! And you got detention for it too!" Lee congratulated. The girls all glared at him.

"Well, we had originally planned to do it during the game, but we thought that might get us disqualified so we figured to do it afterwards," Fred explained with a smirk.

"McGonagall was bloody pissed!" George exclaimed.

"She had a right to be," Angelina retorted.

"Aw! Come now! You've gotta admit, that was pretty hilarious!" Fred replied.

"I thought Alice was gonna cry!" George added.

"I don't cry," Alice stated simply, a bit of bitterness creeping into her voice as well.

The twins and Lee laughed and Fred and George took up places on either side of Alice.

"So, we're thinking that was worth at least fifteen points!" George said.

"I'd say twenty!" Lee piped up. Alice silenced him with a glare.

Well, it was official, Alice had lost her lead in the prank war.

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><p><strong>AN: <strong>Please leave reviews! I really need motivation going into the next couple of weeks and nothing does that better than reviews from all you lovely readers! Again, apologies for how long this one took, but I want you all to know I greatly appreciate those of you sticking with me! We're nearing some big events in Alice's first year!


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Notes**: Well, 13 is clearly not my number. This one took me forever! I just hit a spot where I did not know what to write, I knew what I wanted to do after the un-writable scene but I just couldn't get there! So I procrastinated… by working on later stuff for this story… ugh, I know, I know! But hey, I figured out everyone's patronuses! Not that you'll see that for quite some time... you see what I mean, procrastinating writing my story by working with my story, smh. I didn't get done nearly what I wanted to with this chapter, it more sets up the next chapter. Anyway, after the month long wait *cringe* here it is.

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><p>Alice thought she was surely dead.<p>

She woke one morning to find the outside world only consisting of black and white. Everything was blanketed with a white layer that reflected the sun and made her eyes hurt. Nothing seemed to move or make a sound. It was also bitterly cold.

Alice knew that she must have died in her sleep and woken in the afterlife. There was no other explanation for this drastic change in scenery. She briefly feared that she had been sent to hell because she never imagined her heaven would be so bitingly cold. She couldn't feel her fingers and toes and her nose was burning and dripping.

Her first hint that she might not be dead was the appearance of Emily. Unless something dire had happened, she didn't think Emily would've randomly died in her sleep too. Emily also seemed unperturbed by the new environment. Her next clue was the appearance of the Weasley twins. Alice was sure that those two would not be in her heaven, unless of course this was hell in which case that would make sense. Maybe they all died in a horrible prank gone wrong?

Emily tried to disabuse Alice of her notions, but she wasn't hearing of it. She went down to investigate for herself. Wrapped head to toe with just her eyes peeking out from between a hat and scarves, Alice proceeded out into the barren landscape. She was unnerved to find her footprints disturb the white ground, sinking in with a crunch. Kneeling down, Alice scooped up some of the white substance into her gloved hands. It was cold and wet.

Suddenly, a white ball smacked into the side of her head, covering her in powder, with white flakes getting caught in her hair where they slowly melted. Fred, George, and Lee Jordan roared with laughter, each of them with handfuls of the white substance. They turned their attention to a new victim, sending a flurry after Percy Weasley.

Alice finally faced the facts. She wasn't dead. This was snow.

Now, many might wonder at Alice's confusion, but she was from Florida. Hot, humid, sticky Florida that suffered from debilitating sunshine and occasional hurricanes. Alice hadn't even been a thought the last time Florida saw real snow and even then it had barely been enough to cover the ground. Alice had never even imagined there could be this much snow in one place and that it would so change the scenery. Hogwarts was almost unrecognizable covered in the thick blanket.

"Well this is strange, but hey no classes!" Alice cheered. Emily raised an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's snowing so classes are canceled," Alice explained, gradually suspecting this may not be the case. Emily reached over and felt Alice's forehead.

"Are you feeling alright? You're not coming down with something are you?"

Alice jerked away from Emily's worrying hand.

"Seriously? You guys don't get snow days? In the South—U.S.—if there's even half an inch of snow the roads are shut down!" Alice threw her arms in the air.

"Well, first: we don't have to travel to school, this is a boarding school so they wouldn't close down for that. Second, this is nothing, just a few inches," Emily glanced down at the relatively shallow imprints they left in the snow.

Alice's mouth gaped at her. She looked down at her feet, lifting one up and pointing at the impression her foot had made in the snow, which to her was incredibly deep. She then waved her arms around at the snow covering everything.

"Nothing?!" she burst.

Emily giggled but her laughter turned to a shriek as Alice came at her with a snowball. Emily scampered across the snow, and Alice chased after her though at a slower pace as she was hampered by her five layers of clothing. Emily seemed to have no such difficulties and Alice marveled at the girl's agility. Oh well, Alice had a decent arm.

She stopped in her tracks and launched the snowball after Emily's retreating form. Emily glanced back over just in time to see the snowball arcing towards her, but without enough time to dodge it. The snowball smashed onto Emily's shoulder, showering her in the white powder. Alice slipped and slid after her as Emily spit snow and hair out of her mouth. Alice grinned triumphantly but Emily glared.

"Oh, now you've done it!" Emily bent down and formed her own snowball. Alice's eyes widened and she quickly changed directions. Emily didn't have as good an arm as Alice, but she was more adept at moving in snow so she quickly caught up with her and smashed the snowball into Alice's hat.

The girls' squeals and laughter mingled with that of other students as more came down to enjoy the first snow of the season. Alice and Emily's snowball fight quickly got incorporated into a larger free-for-all. Percy shot through the middle of the game, snowballs following him magically as Fred and George roared with laughter. Percy quickly ducked around a tree and a few of the snowballs crashed into the trunk, but one managed to smack Percy in the face once he peered back around the tree. Percy threatened no end of torment for the twins, but they had already moved on to new victims—unfortunately for the girls.

A barrage of snowballs came racing towards Alice and Emily. Emily squealed and ducked behind Alice. Alice whipped out her wand and shouted "Repello!" The snowballs suddenly shot backwards, repelled by Alice's spell. The boys' eyes widened in shock as the snowballs were hurtled back directly at them. The twins tried to scramble out of the way but the snowballs returned with a splat. The girls got started on their get-away before the boys had wiped the snow from their eyes.

After a brief snowball fight with the twins, the girls managed to find a quiet spot where they began building a snowman. As this was Alice's first snowman, she insisted they make it by hand, without using magic. Emily grumbled a bit at this, but she helped just the same and the girls managed to finish their construction before lunch.

"Warmth!" Alice cried as they stumped wearily into the castle. She then began peeling off layers, starting with her hat and scarves and outer jacket which were soaked through by now from the snow. The girls stomped off their boots within the entrance but still managed to track snow further down the corridor.

Sitting down to lunch Alice grabbed hold of a steaming pitcher of hot chocolate and poured herself a mug. She simply sat, with her hands wrapped around the warm mug, breathing it in for a few moments before daring a sip. Even still she burned her tongue.

"So I tried to ask my parents if I could stay here over the holidays but my mum flipped! So I'm gonna have to leave for break," Emily informed her friend in disappointment.

"Why would you stay here?" Alice grunted, tearing into a piece of bread. Emily gave her a confused look.

"To keep you company of course!" Emily replied.

Alice's brow creased as she peered at Emily curiously. She had never expected her friend to be willing to give up her holiday plans just to make sure Alice wasn't here alone. This girl was so sweet, and Alice really didn't understand how she had managed to befriend Emily considering her own cynical and aggressive nature.

"Thanks for the thought," Alice smiled. Emily beamed back at her. "But you don't have to worry about me, I mean, my brother's stuck here too!"

"Yeah, we are too!" George announced as the twins slipped onto the benches beside the girls. Emily seemed relieved by this, as if finally convinced her friend wouldn't be lonely over break.

"Why are you guys stuck here?" Alice asked curiously.

"Ah, Charlie's wanting to go on some tour of some place with dragons looking for a job after school and, besides our parents, he can only take one other person," Fred waved dismissively.

"And Bill already called dibs!" George chuckled.

"Well, only one of you guys could've gone anyway," Emily pointed out.

"We're a set, and thus count as a singular entity," Fred replied.

"Who could argue with that logic?" Alice rolled her eyes.

"Hey, you're a twin, you understand!" George pointed out.

"Oh, I wasn't saying you were wrong!" Alice grumbled.

"I'm going to France over winter break! My mum's from there and we're going to visit family but I'm hoping to convince them to take me to some museums or Disneyland!" Emily cheerily changed the subject, intimating that the whole twin-identity was a sore subject for Alice.

"Wicked!" Fred grinned.

"That sounds like fun, I love amusement parks, but I do hate the lines!" Alice added.

"That's just because you've only gone as a Muggle! Wizards can skip lines and there are secret areas for wizards in all the major amusement parks!" George exclaimed.

"Yeah, Disneyland in California has a whole lower level with magic rides and shows and stuff! At least that's what I've heard," Fred told them conspiratorially.

"Man! I've lived in Florida most of my life and I've missed out on all the perks!" Alice complained.

"Well, you'll just have to go back then!" Emily smiled.

After the group finished lunch they headed back outdoors to enjoy the snow some more. Alice declared that the snowman Fred and George created with magic was cheating, and that hers was therefore superior. This resulted in a battle between their snowmen, each side levitating theirs into the air where they commenced crashing the snowmen into each other. It turned out Alice's Muggle-style snowman won out, as the base remained a solid-packed sphere when the twins' snowmen finally burst apart to fall back to the ground.

The kids returned inside, monopolizing the fireplace in the Common Room as they desperately tried to get warm. Emily brought down a pile of fluffy blankets and the four were soon wrapped up as if in cocoons before the fire. When Emily started dozing before the fire, Alice determined it was time for them to go to bed and bid the boys goodnight. The girls snuggled gratefully into their beds and soon drifted off into exhausted slumber.

Alice had a hard time paying attention in class that week as she would simply stare out the window watching the snow fall and accumulating into a thick layering over the landscape. Emily was constantly prodding her when the professors looked over, bringing Alice out of her daydreams of frolicking in the snow and speeding across the frozen lake, ignoring the fact that she didn't know how to ice skate. Doing homework after classes was even harder to concentrate on with the fireplaces crackling, making the Common Room ideal for dozing.

The holidays were fast approaching, and as such, Hogwarts students had holiday break. Alice was relieved to find they had Christmas off, considering she'd been cheated out of another break…

"_What do you mean we don't have a Thanksgiving Break?!" Alice demanded sharply. She glared at Fred, George, and Lee Jordan who were trying to contain their mirth under her imperious eye._

"_Thanksgiving's an American holiday! Why would we get it off?" Fred laughed._

"_Because it's Thanksgiving! And I'm American!" Alice blustered._

"_Yeah, but you're in Scotland!" George exclaimed._

"_That doesn't mean I should be denied a celebration of my nation's history!" Alice retorted._

"_Didn't the pilgrims kill all the Indians after that feast?" Lee Jordan pointed out._

"_What's your point?" Alice crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow. Lee Jordan shook his head._

"_You guys just don't get it! This is a holiday that is all about _food_! It's the greatest holiday ever! So what if the historical basis is a bit sketchy, it's the one day that it is not only acceptable but _expected _that you stuff your face with meats and carbs!" Alice threw her arms in the air as her voice reached its crescendo. She really couldn't understand why these guys didn't care—this was _Thanksgiving_ she was talking about!_

"_Alright, but it's an American national holiday, and we're not in America, so we don't get off!" Fred explained for the hundredth time._

_Alice groaned and flopped onto the couch._

"_It's not even about getting out of school! I'll miss Thanksgiving dinner! The mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, turkey, ham, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie!" Alice's mouth watered just thinking about it. Her eyes began to tear up just a bit._

_She had never been more surprised when she went down to the Great Hall for dinner to find all of the staple Thanksgiving foods laid out on the tables before her. Her eyes were as big as the moon and thus they caught movement in the periphery. Alice turned to see Dumbledore raise a glass to her and her brother. Alice had never loved anyone more than she loved the Headmaster at that moment!_

Aside from that happy surprise on the part of the Headmaster, Alice had been fiercely disappointed about not getting a Thanksgiving break. Luckily this was not the case with Christmas and Alice woke on a Monday morning—well, more like afternoon—with no classes to rush off to!

As the students were off, the castle seemed empty with most students gone on vacation. Emily had delayed leaving her friend as long as she could but she couldn't push it back any longer and had left last week, practically crying upon bidding Alice goodbye. Alice reminded her that Christmas break was only a couple of weeks and that she wasn't going anywhere while Emily was gone. Emily calmed at this a bit, but now that Alice thought about it as she crunched through the Forbidden Forest with Fred and George, Emily was probably right for worrying, knowing that her friend would get into trouble, possibly being horribly killed by some monster that lived in the forest.

"Don't worry about it! All the dangerous creatures are hibernating…probably," Fred laughed. Alice shoved him and Fred stumbled into a nearby tree, dislodging snow from the limbs above them and depositing it squarely atop Alice. Alice stopped dead in her tracks, mouth gaping as the snow melted into her clothes. As if she wasn't cold enough! Fred and George were laughing so hard they couldn't walk straight and George stumbled over a tree root, landing face first into a snowdrift. Now it was Alice's turn to laugh, along with Fred who had been knocked off his feet by his mirth.

The group finally collected themselves, not before George launched a snowball into Fred's face, to make it even, and continued on. Besides the thrill of simply being somewhere they were not supposed to, the Forbidden Forest wasn't very exciting so far. The kids grew bored of teasing each other and began a game of hide and seek—the only game shared by both the wizard twins and the Muggle-raised Alice.

Alice scrambled over a fallen tree and wedged herself in a small depression in the snow behind it. She hid her white puffs of breath beneath her gloved hands as she heard George crunching through the snow after her and Fred. Alice hunkered down in her hiding spot as George drew closer and turned her head away from the direction she heard him coming from. A scream pealed out unbidden from her mouth as she scrambled away from the gigantic remains of a spider.

"Alice! It's like you're not even trying!" George whined as he came up and tagged her over the fallen tree. Alice couldn't peel her eyes from the huge spider carcass, its legs curled sickeningly up under its belly and covered in frost. George followed her line of sight and stumbled back in shock.

"Bloody hell! Fred! Come take a look at this!" George cried out as he leapt over the fallen tree. Fred stomped from his hiding spot behind a tree and approached them, grumbling.

"If this is some kind of trick-" Fred stopped dead upon seeing the huge spider. "Wicked!" he breathed, his eyes gleaming and scrambled over to inspect it.

George picked up a stick and began poking the half-frozen corpse. Fred actually reached out and snapped off a bit of a leg, tossing it away in disgust hastily and wiping his glove off onto George. Alice managed to regain her feet and cast the spider wary glances, not completely convinced it was dead. Alice's motto with spiders was that unless it was a smear of guts on a surface, it could still be alive and dangerous.

"Aw, come on Alice, it's dead as a doorknob," George grinned.

"Yeah, it's not gonna bite!" Fred jumped at her, startling Alice from her intense stare-off with the eight sightless eyes. Alice swatted Fred's arm.

"I hate spiders, dead or alive, and I was hiding right next to it!" Alice shivered at the thought.

"Why is it so huge?" George thought out loud.

"Global warming," Alice muttered. Fred and George glanced at her, lost. Alice shook her head "Lame excuse for a joke, ignore me."

"Maybe it's an escapee from a spell gone wrong?" Fred ventured a guess, taking the stick from George and poking at the body.

"Or a spell gone horribly right," Alice grumbled, still maintaining a good distance away from the corpse so that if it came alive it would grab the boys first giving her time to flee.

Fred poked at the spider a bit more before growing bored and tossing the stick near the spider. Whether or not the spider had a bit of life left in it, was still going through rigor mortis, or the stick merely disturbed the body, the spider gave a twitch, sending the kids scrambling away in terror. They didn't stop running until they left the forest behind, each kid gasping for breath.

Alice felt like needles were stabbing into her throat and chest with each inhale, every exhale issuing a plume of white. Fred was bent over double, trying to catch his breath while George leaned against a tree trunk gasping. The kids gradually raised their heads to look at each other, and the three burst into laughter.

"Oi! What're you kids doing there?" a deep voice boomed from the groundskeeper's hut.

"Bloody hell!" Fred gasped as the three kids high-tailed it out of there before Hagrid could chase them down.

All that running and terror really worked up their appetites so the kids headed to the Great Hall for lunch. There were hardly any students hanging around during break, so all but one of the long tables had been removed. The hall had also been decorated for the holidays and giant evergreens lined the walls, decorated with gold and silver baubles. Professor Flitwick was guiding floating tinsel onto the upper branches of an evergreen that dwarfed even Hagrid. Fake snow—or it could've been real, Alice was at a magic school after all—sprinkled down from the magical ceiling. The Gryffindor and Slytherin banners really worked with the whole Christmas theme, Ravenclaw's blue fit the whole winter vibe, but Hufflepuff's yellow and black was pushing it.

Alice saw Jason sitting at the long table, reading a book while absentmindedly munching on fries—which everyone here called chips for some strange reason. Alice led the boys over towards Jason and she plopped down next to him while the twins sat on the other side.

"Heya bro!" Alice greeted loudly. Jason jumped, dropping a fry in his surprise. He rolled his eyes at Alice and the Weasley twins' grins.

"Hi Alice," Jason grumbled. "Fred, George," he added, glancing over to the twins who nodded in acknowledgement.

"What'cha reading?" Alice asked, crowding over his shoulder to get at the book. Jason lifted the book away from her prying fingers.

"Hogwarts, A History," Jason answered with a touch of irritation.

"Again?" Alice scoffed, stealing some of her brother's fries. Jason slid his plate out of her reach, at which Alice fixed him with an affronted glare.

"I'm sure you can find something more exciting than bothering me?" Jason suggested. Fred, George, and Alice all shook their heads.

"Nope," Alice stated.

"Nah," Fred grinned.

"Hey, where's that girl you're always hanging around?" George asked.

"Cho is on holiday with her family, I believe they were going to Australia," Jason replied as he fended off Alice's attempts at reaching across to retrieve her brother's plate of fries, despite the fact that the actual platter of fries was sitting just in front of her.

"Australia? That sounds like fun! You know, I don't know why Aunt K didn't take us for holiday, she's always travelling around the world," Alice said, finally triumphing in stealing Jason's plate.

"That's for work, she can't take two eleven year-olds on business trips," Jason scoffed. He glared down at his plate, which Alice had slid back in front of him while she stole fries off of it. "Why don't you just take my plate?"

"Aw! Where's the fun in that?" Alice retorted between bites. "And anyway I don't want fries!"

"Then why are you eating them?" Jason demanded.

"Because you have them," Alice explained with a smirk.

"Isn't it annoying having a little sister?" Fred grinned to Jason. Jason sighed and dropped his head down onto the table as Alice's brows raised importantly.

"I'm older thank you very much!" Alice retorted, placing a hand over her chest.

"By like five minutes!" Jason groaned.

"Correction! Five minutes fifty-eight seconds! Which is closer to six minutes!" Alice pointed out. Jason rolled his eyes.

A hoot interrupted the group as Tilly flew in from the window. He flew down low over the table before gracefully landing before the twins and sticking out a leg which had a letter tied to it.

"Isn't post supposed to come at morning meals? You're late Mister!" Alice teased, tapping the owl affectionately on the beak. Tilly hooted as Alice stroked his feathers and Jason removed the letter.

He inspected the envelope and paused at the imprint in the wax seal. It had an abstract shape that looked sort of like a hunting dog pointing.

"Hey, doesn't this look like Aunt K's ring?" Jason asked, showing Alice the seal.

Instead of answering, Alice got a huge grin on her face and ripped the letter open. Red and gold confetti practically exploded from the envelope, flying up to form "I Miss You Guys" before bursting once more and raining down on Alice and Jason. Once all the confetti settled, Alice dug through the envelope for anything else. She pulled out a key, quirking an eyebrow and raising it so Jason could inspect it as well.

"A key?" George questioned. Alice shrugged in answer, but Jason's face lit up.

"It's a clue, Alice! You know how every year Aunt K sends a little teaser or clue before our presents!" Jason explained excitedly.

"Oh yeah! But she hasn't done it in a couple years. Why can't she just give us the presents like a normal person?" Alice grumbled, though she grinned as well. Jason snatched the key from Alice's hands and turned it over in his hands, inspecting it thoroughly.

"Other than this little thing, it's pretty ordinary, though old fashioned," Jason commented, showing Alice the design in the head of the key. Alice plucked it from his hands and brought it up to her face mere inches from her nose, practically going cross-eyed peering at it. The head was a ring like in older, antique keys, but in the middle of the open ring, two metal bands twisted once. The twisting bands formed a thin neck at the spot of their overlap before going off to form larger bases where it connected with the head.

"Is it supposed to represent unity or something, like the present's for both of us?" Jason guessed, though his pursed lips implied he had little confidence in this guess.

Alice didn't respond but rested her elbows on the table and raised the key up to continue her inspection. As her gaze focused on the key, she caught bright colors in the background. Refocusing her gaze, Alice's eyes widened as she stared directly at the hourglasses tracking house points. Alice hit Jason in the arm and pointed to the hourglasses, still holding the key up level with the hourglasses. Jason's eyes widened as well and he grinned.

"An hourglass!" Jason breathed.

"So does that mean the present will be late?" Fred grinned.

"No, it probably has something to do with time, like something that will help us in the future or manage time," Jason replied.

"Yeah, but why didn't she just send a watch or hourglass instead? Why a key with a vague hourglass shape?" Alice asked, more to herself than anyone else present. She tapped a finger on her chin thoughtfully.

"So, keys unlock, and hourglasses track time—"

"Although those hourglasses track points," George pointed out, gesturing back to the four house hourglasses.

"Yeah, but Aunt K didn't go to Hogwarts so she probably wouldn't instinctively think that," Jason clarified, putting his hand to his chin.

Fred and George grinned to each other as Alice and Jason sat thinking in the same exact position with identical looks on their faces and abstracted gazes. Now the two siblings really looked like twins.

"Hello, Fred, George, Jason! Alice, are you ready to unlock some more of the past?" Professor Triggs asked enthusiastically having just come up to the group.

Alice's and Jason's eyes widened and they looked to each other with similar 'eureka!' expressions.

"Professor! You're a genius!" Jason announced excitedly. Triggs was a bit confused but grinned and straightened his tie smugly.

"Well, I was sorted into Ravenclaw," he smirked.

"Do you think it'll be something about dad as a kid? Or mom?" Alice rambled excitedly.

"Or about our wizarding ancestry! Remember all that old family stuff in Grandpa's office that they never let us look too long at? It's probably because they were magical artifacts or moving pictures or something!" Jason prattled on, of course going directly to the historical aspect. Although Alice had to admit, she was curious about their family's magical lineage ever since she had heard about the different wizarding blood categories.

"Anyway…" Triggs interrupted, still completely lost in the conversation. "Alice, are you ready?"

Alice looked up at the professor as if seeing him there for the first time. Her brows lowered questioningly at first before her eyes widened and she leapt from the table.

"Oh! Yeah! Ready!" Alice exclaimed.

Triggs headed off towards the doors, but Alice darted back one last time to steal a fry Jason was just about to pick up. She stuffed the fry in its entirety into her mouth with a grin as Jason scowled at her.

"Alice! You don't even like the crunchy ones!" he yelled after her as she raced back after Triggs.

Alice filled Triggs in about her Aunt on the way to their weekly meeting. Triggs revealed that Nax had often spoken about her friends in the states, especially about Kensington, fondly known to the twins as Aunt K. Apparently Nax and all of the Connen children used to play Quidditch together when she visited over the summers or on break.

"Gah! So everyone in my family is good at Quidditch but me!" Alice exclaimed a bit irritated. Triggs raised an eyebrow questioningly. "My uncle was apparently one of the greatest Beaters! My dad was supposedly pretty great too and I know my mom was really good, I found the trophy from when her team won here! And now even Jason is taking to it!"

"But you don't like it?" Triggs queried.

"I don't like flying period!" Alice declared, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Why is that?" Triggs prodded.

Alice opened her mouth as if to respond, but nothing came out. She hurriedly closed her mouth and chewed on her lower lip, avoiding Triggs' gaze. "No reason," she mumbled, staring out the window.

Triggs didn't prod her further. They had gone through this kind of thing before, Alice would clam up about personal stuff and Triggs wouldn't push her, but eventually she would tell him, as if she couldn't keep it on her chest anymore. Alice glared out the window at the waning sun but she couldn't pretend to find it interesting and knew she would have to redirect her focus at some point soon. When she was weary of imagining she could see the sun rays slowly melting the snow off the trees, she heaved a grumbling sigh and shifted in her seat as she looked directly back to Triggs. He was just leaning back in his chair waiting.

"The plane crash," Alice blurted. "I mean, I used to love flying! It was like roller coasters, which I love, so I always used to get real excited about flying on planes and I'm sure my parents probably put me on a mini-broom before my mom… and I probably loved it! But…" She stared down at her hands in her lap as she picked at her fingernails, but she wasn't paying attention to that at all. "After my dad and uncle… they died in a plane crash. I used to think flying was safe, I mean the odds are better than driving, but after that I only feel safe when I'm connected to the ground," Alice shrugged.

Triggs watched as Alice's face grew stony, as she forced away all the bad feelings. Alice was very good at moving past things, but Triggs doubted if she ever really let them go. He realized that unless she full out broke down, she never faced her emotions, forcing back down anything she didn't want to feel. She also tried to appear tough at all times, which she was—tough. Over their sessions, Triggs had come to realize that Alice was one of the strongest people he had ever met, ranking amongst his fellow former Order Members, but she hid all emotion behind sarcasm and wit. She saw expression as a weakness, and Triggs knew from experience that would eat at her inside.

With a big sigh, Alice looked back up at Triggs, a forced smile on her face.

"That's the first time I've ever admitted that!" she chuckled weakly.

"That's good, you should recognize the source of your fears. Only then can you accept them and maybe move past them, of course, in this instance, I wouldn't think facing your fears would be the best course of action," Triggs encouraged, but not wanting to imply that she should throw herself into flying and Quidditch. He knew she would if she thought it would help, but he didn't think it would. Fears tied to grief he had found most difficult to manage, though they did seem to lessen over time.

Alice chuckled, a real one this time.

"Is this story-time or a therapy session?" she smirked.

"Well, if it's the latter, I'm getting cheated out of my pay!" Triggs grouched before breaking into a grin.

"I think therapist would be a good back-up career for you," Alice teased.

"I'll keep that in mind considering this school's history with my position," Triggs laughed. Alice quirked her head curiously. Triggs suddenly realized she didn't know about the supposed jinx on the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. "This school hasn't been able to keep a DADA professor for more than a year in decades! Some say it's jinxed, others scoff and say it's just a tough position."

"What's your conspiracy theory?" Alice grinned mischievously.

Triggs returned her grin and suddenly leaned forward over his desk as Alice scooted her chair closer.

"Well, the Dark Lord wasn't always an evil overlord, he used to be a kid and he even graduated from here!" Triggs shared in a hushed tone.

"Spill!" Alice urged, her eyes glinting in excitement. She truly loved Triggs' theories, which everyone else waved as off crazy conspiracies, but Alice actually thought they made sense.

"Yeah, but even then he showed a certain, shall we say, proclivity for the dark arts. He also loved this school, he came from an orphanage so it was the only home he really knew. I figure, after a few years away from it, he realized he just couldn't stay away. There are rumors that he wanted this position," Triggs pointed down to his own desk. "But Dumbledore refused to give it to him and so Voldemort cursed it! If he couldn't have it no one could!" Triggs leaned back into his chair, nodding knowingly.

"Woah!" Alice breathed, flopping back into her own chair. "What is he? Four years old!" Alice laughed.

"I know, the Petty Lord might be a more accurate title!" Triggs chuckled.

"Who were the professors when you were at school?" Alice asked.

Triggs whistled, leaning back in his chair as his brow furrowed, trying to remember.

"Well, most are the same, which is really weird for me seeing my old teachers as my peers now," Triggs chuckled. "McGonagall, Dumbledore, Flitwick, and of course Binns were all teaching back then too. Kettleburn, Babbling, Burbage," Triggs ticked them off on his fingers. "Potions was taught by Professor Slughorn who was a strange fellow, very bright and a pretty decent teacher but kind of dim about certain things. I can't for the life of me remember who taught Herbology… it was some kind of tree… Fir? Spruce? Pine? I don't know, I honestly didn't pay much attention to that class. Sinistra still taught Astronomy, though she started at Hogwarts when I did. Divination was taught by Professor Clare, who was pretty fun and lively for an old guy, and I mean he was old. I never took Arithmancy so I don't remember who taught that class. And then of course the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor changed every year," Triggs grinned before sighing in relief at having remembered almost everyone.

"Do you know who my mother's favorite teacher was?" Alice asked curiously.

"Hmm, as I recall she was close to McGonagall and Flitwick," Triggs replied tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Flitwick absolutely adored your mother! He still does and now he has a soft spot for you and your brother too. Nax was practically McGonagall's protégée, plus McGonagall loves Quidditch and your mum helped Gryffindor win so that only raised her in McGonagall's eyes," Triggs smiled.

"You know, Flitwick was the one that came to tell me and Jason that we had magic," Alice commented. "I really like Professor Flitwick, he's really nice and his class is always cool!" Alice quirked an eyebrow and looked directly at Triggs. "Why do I seem to get on great with all the Ravenclaw professors?"

Triggs laughed and Alice grinned, though she was actually quite flummoxed by this.

* * *

><p>Christmas morning, Alice needed no help waking up, which was a good thing because she was the only first-year girl left at Hogwarts. Alice seemed to have an automatic alarm clock for holidays that got her up at the crack of dawn. After all, boxes were just waiting for her to viciously tear the wrapping paper off! She had to admit it, she loved getting presents, but opening them was definitely her favorite part—especially if the box had bubble wrap in it!<p>

Alice practically flew down the stairs into the Common Room. Her eyes instantly trained on the Christmas tree against the wall. That night, the floor beneath the tree had been bare, but now there were piles of gifts! Alice rubbed her hands together gleefully before diving in.

"Fred, George, Fred and George," Alice sorted through the gifts searching for hers. She went ahead and put all of her friends' gifts into a separate pile so they didn't have to sort through all the gifts… but on second thought… Alice grinned wickedly.

Well, she finished that and managed to find where all of her gifts were hiding. There were three, of varying sizes, one from her Aunt K, another from her Aunt Beth and cousin Chris, and one from her foster family the Wallace's. Alice would never quite understand why she and Jason had been relocated to Britain when they had family that she was sure would've taken them in. Shrugging the thought off, Alice tore into her presents, her grin widening with every satisfying "Rip!"

The Wallace's—well, it was signed from all of them but Alice suspected it was mainly just from Margo—gave her an ever-bashing boomerang, a pack of exploding snap cards, and a handful of Cribbage's Wizard Crackers. Alice had to read the card to figure out what everything was and she smiled mischievously upon reading about the boomerang—that should be fun, though who would her first victim be? Margo was such a nice lady, and her letter was full of encouragement and advice that Alice was grateful for, considering much of this wizard stuff was still new to her.

Upon ripping open the box from Aunt Beth and Alice's cousin Chris, she nearly burst into tears as it was filled to bursting with American candy. There was some American magic candy like Chocolate Eagles (virtually the same thing as Chocolate Frogs but in the shape of eagles), bon-bon bombs (that supposedly exploded in your mouth? Alice was a bit wary of those), caramel snidgets, Sphinx S'mores, Airheads (which were apparently the inspiration for the Muggle candy of the same name, these of course actually filled your head with hot air that whistled out your ears), and Sour Patch Kids (that were charmed so that they were actually mischievous, when Alice opened up a pack the little candy kids began fighting one another and one even pinched her!). But it was the normal candy that Alice was so grateful to see: Twix, Snickers, Milky Way, Hershey's bars, Milk Duds, Reese's cups, gummy LifeSavers, M&Ms, and Twizzlers.

Alice was already biting into a Twix bar as she dug deeper into the box to find the rest of her presents. Feeling something hard and plastic, Alice pulled out a penknife which had attachments that looked a lot like lock-picking tools. Upon reading the note, that's exactly what they were for. Alice's eyes gleamed as she thought of the usefulness of this tool. She dove further into the box to feel cloth down at the bottom. Candy overflowed the box as she pulled out a nice jacket. Alice had just been complaining about not being prepared for the cold here, this was perfect so she immediately put it on. It fit nicely and she stood up and walked over to a mirror on the wall to see how it looked.

Her jaw dropped, but of course, she couldn't see that in the mirror. Because she was invisible!

Alice shrugged the jacket off and once more came back into view of the mirror. She practically dove for the note from her aunt and cousin, scanning it for an explanation, her heart racing with excitement. The jacket had an invisibility charm on it, which made its wearer invisible! Admittedly, they told her that the charm would gradually wear off so they advised her not to overuse it or it would lose power faster, but this was just a minor flaw to the young girl. Alice was so happy she squealed and jumped up and down, picturing all she could get up to sneaking around after dark while invisible! Her family knew her so well.

Alice had left Aunt K's gift for last and, munching on a Hershey's bar, tore the wrapping paper off, revealing a large leather-bound book. It was a family album, a magical family album, _her _magical family's album!

It was a while before Alice tore herself away from the moving pictures of her dad's family to notice the letter and glasses. Alice 'ooh'ed over the fancy sunglasses and immediately tried them on. Everything went a shade darker and she glanced around through the lenses, but when she gazed out the corner of her eyes, the picture in the glasses completely changed to the wall behind her.

Alice's eyes shot back to look straight ahead and once more saw the room in front of her. Biting her tongue in thought, Alice tested it again and looked out the corner of her eye. Once more she saw what was behind her as if it was right before her eyes. Grinning, Alice pulled the sunglasses off and inspected Aunt K's letter.

_Dear Alice,_

_Did you guess right? Personally I thought my clue kind of gave it away so I expect that you figured it out fairly quickly. Anyway, surprise! You're a witch and your entire family is too! Luckily, magical family records keep well and I managed to track down all the old family albums and scrapbooks and consolidated them into one big book for you! But if anyone asks you what happened to the pictures of four year-old me at the beach—I have no idea what happened to those! Are they missing? That's a shame!_

Alice could hear her aunt's mocking sarcasm, feel her pretend shock, and see the conspiring wink she would then give Alice and Jason.

_I miss you and Jason so so so much I can hardly stand it! Don't get me wrong, I love South America, it's beautiful! That's where I got the sunglasses by the way! Do you like them? They're rearview sunglasses, they're charmed so that if you just look out of the corner of your eye you can see what's behind you. I figured you'd find good use for them!_

_I'm bursting with stories to tell you and Jason. Ordinarily I'd wait for the summer, but I'm weak, and so—surprise!—I'm going to come visit you two in January! Take you out to sight-see and get into trouble! I'm so excited! Can't wait to see you! I love you!_

_Love,_

_Aunt K_

Alice was squealing with joy! Her aunt was gonna come visit and take them off to amazing places like always! Which, now that Alice knew her aunt was a witch, she now understood how they could take cross-country trips in a single day. That also explained why her dad would scold Aunt K for her trips—he was worried the kids would figure out that it was impossible to travel hundreds of miles in just ten minutes.

She finally made her way down to the Great Hall to find Jason sitting at the table waiting for her. He had a bag stuffed with unopened presents sitting on the bench next to him. When he saw Alice toying with her gifts he threw his hands up into the air.

"You already opened them! I thought that we would open our gifts together!" Jason exclaimed in frustration as Alice came and sat down across from him. Alice slammed her hands on the table.

"You know I can't wait that long!" she shouted. They stared each other down for a moment before Jason shrugged, conceding her point. He did dramatically sigh though as he pulled out his own presents.

"I guess I'll just have to open my presents alone then," he grumbled, smirking at Alice across the table.

"I can help!" Alice offered excitedly, standing up and practically leaping over the table reaching for his bag of presents. Jason swatted her away. She plopped back into her seat and pouted.

Jason smirked and held her gaze as he settled the box in his lap. Staring straight into her eyes, Jason raised an eyebrow as he ripped a strip of wrapping paper off. Alice tensed, leaning towards the sound. She wanted to rip the wrapping paper so bad! She glared at Jason who simply grabbed another end and tore it slowly from the box. Alice grabbed up a biscuit and chucked it at him. Jason ducked it, chuckling, but gave up the show and tore into his present. He tossed the envelope towards Alice as he opened the box.

Alice ripped open the envelope and took out the folded letter. Unfolding it, she cleared her throat dramatically and began to read.

"_Dear Jason,_"

"Ooh! This one's from the Wallace's!" Alice interjected her own dramatic reading. Upon this realization she altered her voice to a lighter, feminine voice that sounded nothing like Mrs. Wallace but Jason got what she was going for.

"_I'm glad to hear you're doing so well in school! I knew you'd be a natural at Transfiguration, my brother was the same way. I'm glad to hear that Alice is finding her niche and making friends—"_

Alice glared over at Jason.

"You write Mrs. Wallace and you talk about _me_?" she demanded.

"She asks about how you're doing, so I tell her, since _you_ don't write!" Jason pointed out. Alice stuck her tongue out at Jason, who responded in kind, before returning her attention to the letter.

"Something about me, blah, blah, blah, nice stuff, ooh! You told her about Cho?" Alice leaned over the table at Jason and winked teasingly. Jason pulled out a pack of Cribbage's Wizard Crackers, glaring at Alice.

"Shut up and read!" Jason snapped tossing a biscuit at Alice, but he couldn't hide his slight smirk.

"_Anyway, remember those bands we were talking about? Well, I decided to expand your musical tastes into the wizarding world!"_

Jason pulled out an album featuring a group of hairy men in ripped black robes, with "Weird Sisters" written across the cover.

"But they're all guys!" Jason smirked to Alice. She scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Queen was an all-guy band too!" Alice retorted haughtily. Jason shrugged.

"_I was going to get you one of the Hobgoblins albums but they broke up and I wasn't able to track down any of theirs, but I thought you'd also like the Weird Sisters. They have a bagpipe in there, which is a bit surprising at first, but it makes for an interesting sound! I also spent a lot of time looking through American wizard bands—there are tons by the way! I was a bit overwhelmed but finally settled on one band, Old Salem, that's supposedly amazing! I listened to a few of their songs and I quite liked them! Anyway, I hope you enjoy and wish you luck on the rest of the semester! Hope to hear back from you soon!"_

Jason peeled himself away from inspecting the back of the Weird Sisters album to pull out the Old Salem album. The twins' eyes grew wide and Alice made a lunge for the album, snatching it from Jason's shock-slackened grip before he could react.

"No way! Dad had this album! He never let us listen to it!" Alice exclaimed.

"Hey! Give it back!" Jason reached over the table, but Alice held the album just out of his reach, having to turn her head to read it.

"No wonder, they have a song called 'Your Magic Wand' and I don't think it's talking about these kinds!" Alice smirked pulling her wand from her ponytail.

Jason made a lunge for the album and Alice teased him once more before handing it back to him. Jason's eyes scanned the record, seemingly memorizing every detail. As he peered at the back, Alice got a good look at the front cover, which she thought was much more artistic than that of the Weird Sisters. It depicted an old ghost town in black and gray, the moon a blood red shining down on five black shapes. A sign on a building gave the album's name and artist, reading 'Old Salem Justice Hall.'

"Okay, next present!" Alice prodded Jason.

He reluctantly set the album aside and pulled out the next present. Alice recognized the wrapping paper, this gift was from Aunt K. Alice flung herself across the table and ripped the present out of her brother's hands before he could open it.

"No!" she screamed and pulled it back to her. "This one last," she ordered, setting it on her side of the table and sitting back down. Jason raised an eyebrow at her, but pulled out the other present.

Jason ripped the wrapping paper off, then moved to the box. Alice grinned knowingly as Jason's eyes shone in a mirror reaction to her earlier one. He pulled out a handful of American candy, his face beaming like he'd just found buried treasure. After a minute of celebration, Jason dove back into the box and pulled out another box. This he quickly opened and his jaw dropped.

Alice stood up to peer over at this new discovery. Upon seeing it she shrugged and plopped back down on the bench. Jason, however, was holding it up like he'd just found the lost Ark. It was an astronomical model—and a nice one too, with the planets and constellations all suspended and moving in real-time, with a date and time option that could be manipulated so you could see the positions at any point in the past or future. Alice much preferred her gifts.

"Hey can I do my Astronomy work with you from now on?" Alice smirked.

Jason perused the letter from Chris and Aunt Beth and tore open a bag of Skittles before retrieving the last gift from next to Alice. He read Aunt K's letter and passed it on to Alice—it was much the same as the letter to her, except that Aunt K and Jason shared different inside jokes than she and Alice. Since he read the letter first, Jason went straight to the sunglasses and tried them out. His were zoom-in sunglasses, so that just by squinting his eyes he could spot a Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean out in a plant in the entry hall. Alice thought that these would be useful too, but hers were probably better adapted to sneaking around and avoiding capture.

Setting the glasses down, Jason then unwrapped the larger present. As he pulled out a large, ancient-looking, leather-bound book his eyes gleamed. A huge grin splitting his face, he held the book up, turning it around for Alice to see.

There was a large crest embossed on the cover; sporting a pointing hound, but of course since it was magical the leaves fluttered and the hound would wag his tail and lift his head back to howl. The crest looked like a more traditional version of Aunt K's seal. The title read "A Genealogy of the Great McConnen Line."

Alice grinned and bolted from her seat to rush around the table and crowd next to Jason. He lifted the heavy cover and the twins' jaws gaped open. They weren't quite sure what they had expected of their magical family tree, but they certainly hadn't thought it to be quite this extensive and elaborate. Alice had to blink multiple times to adjust her eyes to the multitude of faintly moving tiny portraits of her ancestors.

"How many pages is it?" Alice asked, daunted.

"Two-hundred," Jason gulped. Alice's eyes widened.

"But, it's pretty descriptive! So it's probably just like one or two generations a page because of all the details about each person," Alice explained, a bit frantically. Jason merely nodded, too stunned to speak. "Why don't we start from the present and work our way back?" Alice proposed.

Jason didn't respond but flipped back to the last few pages. He stopped when he found their names along with Chris' at the bottom layer. Following the line back up from their own names to their parents, Alice's eyes softened as a picture of her father, lines beginning to form in the corners of his eyes, smiled up at her. He glanced over to his left where a picture of her mother grinned cheerily up at them. Alice cleared her throat.

"Changed my mind, let's go back to the front," Alice said and flipped back to the front of the book. Jason narrowed his eyes at her, but didn't say anything. "Ooh! A warlord!" Alice exclaimed zeroing in on a fierce-looking man wearing furs.

The twins investigated the genealogy book for a few minutes, laughing at ancestors such as "Ulmer the Uncannily Clumsy" whose picture seemed to be dropping everything and randomly tripping. Fred and George interrupted them however, coming down and sitting across from the twins.

The two pairs excitedly showed off their new presents. The Connens practically forced some of their favorite candies down the Weasleys' throats, horrified that the boys had never had Twix bars before! Much to the Connens' shock, Fred and George claimed the chocolate was too sweet! This was simply blasphemy to Alice!

"Hey! You haven't opened your crackers yet!" George pointed out, finding Alice's sitting on the table. "They have prizes you know!"

"What are crackers? I'm assuming they're not like saltines or anything," Alice said.

Fred's hand hovered in front of his open mouth, his Twizzler dangling limply from his hand. George blinked repeatedly before shaking his head.

"They're things with prizes in them! You pull them to pop them open and there's something inside! You've never had crackers before? They're a holiday staple!" Fred demanded in shock.

"Not in America they're not!" Alice stated.

"Ugh!" George exclaimed in disgust. "Here! Here," he grabbed up Alice's and Jason's Cribbage's Wizard Crackers, holding one in each hand and offering the other end to their respective owners. "You grab the end and pull to pop it open."

Jason and Alice took the ends and with just a look, the twins simultaneously pulled back hard. The crackers snapped open with a pop and the kids went straight to see what they got.

Alice pulled out a wizard chess set. Glancing up, she saw her disappointed look mirrored on Jason's face as he gazed down at his. Alice caught sight of his prize: a grow-your-own-warts kit. Alice didn't understand why he was upset, that was a cool prize. Jason seemed to be thinking the same about her and their eyes met.

"Trade," they stated in sync and immediately exchanged prizes, grinning.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Did you love it? Leave a review! Did you hate it? Leave a review! Did you feel ambivalent towards it? Leave a review!

Next up: Alice and Triggs do some spy work!**  
><strong>


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